Sarita Walke, from Jawalga village in Ausa Block of Latur District, Maharashtra was an active participant in SSP’s Entrepreneurship Development Program, becoming a well-recognised and savvy businesswoman over the past 5 years.
Sarita tai first heard about SSP in 2016, when she attended a village meeting where SSP’s team was introducing their work to the community. She immediately saw this as an opportunity to gain more knowledge and become financially independent. After attending various trainings on businesses management, one-acre farming and animal husbandry, Sarita tai decided to start a seasonal business of manufacturing ‘sevaiya’ (wheat noodles) from her home. With a loan from her mother-in-law, she purchased a ‘sevaiya’ machine second-hand, and began operating the business in the summer months, where there was no farming and little employment opportunity. Starting with 200 customers in 2016, today Sarita tai’s shop receives more than 1000 customers every summer season.
With the success of her first business, and having gained some financial independence and confidence, Sarita tai began to advocate about the benefits of the one-acre farming model with her family. Though initially dismissive of her ideas, she was able to negotiate 10 guntas of land from her husband, to implement the one-acre model on. With a demonstration of the benefits of bio-farming and increased income from the sale of vegetables, today Sarita tai and her family are implementing the one-acre farming model on 4 acres of land, and using the produce for household consumption and as a source of income.
As a burgeoning entrepreneur, Sarita tai began to search for more opportunities to diversify the family’s livelihood as the years passed. With loans from SSP’s Community Resilience Fund, she was able to start and successfully operate three additional small-scale businesses of poultry rearing, goat rearing and dairy, from 2017 onwards. From earning Rs.5000 per month, today Sarita tai’s income is around Rs. 35,000 per month.
Sarita tai mentions that the training she received on financial literacy, business management and entrepreneurship were invaluable in helping her reach her current stage, where she is financially independent and able to stand on her own feet. While earlier she simply worked as a labourer in her family’s fields, today she has grown to be an active participant in household and agricultural decision making, with her husband and in-laws soliciting her opinion on many opinions. With increased knowledge, awareness and mobility, Sarita tai is more confident about herself, and is able to speak to government officials and community members openly.
Today, Sarita tai sits on the Board of Directors of a Farmer Producer Company in Latur, that aims to develop the pulses and dairy value chain. She plans to promote and expand the business, and bring many more women farmers into the fold, empowering them as well.
Swayam Shikshan Prayog
January 24, 2023