Rural woman turns successful entrepreneur
HELPLESS woman, who was hardly able to make both ends meet, is today successfully supporting her sons’ education and has even taken her husband as a partner in her business venture.
In a unique example of rural entrepreneurship, 38-year old Malti Bai after spending a nomadic life for about 10 years turned her misfortunes into a handsome state of life for her entire family.
An esteemed resident of Bijanwada village of Hoshangabad today Malti’s life took a U-turn as she joined a local self help group (SHG) some four years ago. Equipped with a small loan of Rs 1,600, she utilised the amount for purchasing raw material for broom making which she sold in village haats (market) every week.
As her efforts became successful, she repaid the loan in time. Still her concerns did not end here, as it was a seasonal business. She then decided to work as a cook in marriages and ceremonies. When she started this work she felt the need for a mixer grinder. She again took a loan of Rs. 5000 for purchasing a grinder, said Nirmala Buch, Madhya Pradesh’s former chief secretary and founder of Mahila Chetna Manch, a non-governmental organisation.
As she further planned to improve and diversify her sources of earning for her children’s education, she took another loan of Rs 10,000, for setting up a Kirana store in the village. This diversified portfolio of income sources has not only given her a steady life today but also made her capable of purchasing land for construction of her own house, Buch added.