Rural women with multiple small-scale businesses provide them income throughout year
Sarita Chincholi, from Hipparsoga village in Latur, Maharashtra diversified into grocery, stationery and vegetable vending, increasing her family income, after attending the entrepreneurship development training provided by SSP in 2021. SSP promotes rural women in starting multiple small-scale businesses that will provide them with income throughout the year.
Sarita tai’s family had a small grocery store managed by her husband. She primarily stayed at home, taking care of the household and helping in farming. Always aspiring to move beyond being a homemaker, Sarita tai was quick to show interest in participating in SSP’s Entrepreneurship Development Program (EDP). She attended the EDP training and learnt about marketing, customer relationships, visiting and negotiating at wholesale markets, accounting, profit, quality control etc. Following this training, Sarita tai convinced her family to include stationery and vegetable vending into their grocery store.
Taking a loan from her SHG, she used this as seed money to purchase stationery items for the store. While hesitant at first, after seeing the success of these initiatives – where their income increased to around Rs. 20,000 per month, her husband now includes her in decision-making of both the shop and household.
In past few months, Sarita tai has begun to manage the family store on her own. She also accompanies her husband to Latur city to purchase goods at wholesale rates. She has increased vegetable cultivation on her farm, and now grows extra to sell in her store. Sarita tai says that she recognises a change in her personality with growing independence and confidence in her own abilities.
On her future plans, she says “While I want to strengthen my business, I also want to reach out to vulnerable women in my village and help them gain confidence to pursue different businesses to ensure their economic security.”
Swayam Shikshan Prayog
21st February, 2022