A Step Towards Self-Reliance
Anita Tadas hails from Ekurli village in Maharashtra’s Wardha district. A homemaker and a small farmer, she lives with her husband, son, and mother-in-law. Passionate about farming, Anita is always eager to try new practices that benefit her home and land.
When Swayam Shikshan Prayog (SSP) and Welspun Foundation introduced the concept of biogas in her village, Anita saw a solution to her rising fuel expenses. She had been using one gas cylinder every 30–45 days, spending nearly ₹1,200 a month.
The cost of a biogas unit initially seemed too high, but Anita didn’t give up. She approached her local savings group and took a ₹15,000 loan to install a Sistema 6 biogas unit. Within a month, she began cooking daily on clean, smokeless gas—eliminating the need for cylinders altogether.
“Now, I cook faster, spend nothing on gas, and save both time and effort,” says Anita. But the benefits went beyond the kitchen. During training by SSP, she learned how to use the biogas slurry as organic fertilizer.
Anita began growing a backyard garden with 14 varieties of vegetables—completely chemical-free. Her family now eats fresh, healthy food grown with her own hands. The slurry has also improved soil quality and reduced farm input costs. Seeing her success, another woman in her village followed her lead and installed biogas too.
“I feel proud that others got inspired seeing the changes at my home,” Anita says. She continues to participate in every village-level training on health, water, sanitation, and organic farming.
Through her simple yet determined steps, Anita is showing how rural women can lead change—saving money, improving health, and caring for the environment, all at once.
Swayam Shikshan Prayog
1st July, 2025