Gokarna More, a woman leader and entrepreneur from Yakatpur village in Latur, Maharashtra recognised the importance of livelihood diversification and supported her family by starting four small-scale businesses in her village.
Gokarna More’s dreams of education were cut short, when she was married at a young age. As a housewife, she spent most of her time at home engaged in cooking and raising her 3 children. In 2016, Gokarna tai was invited to attend a meeting organised by SSP, and learnt about their work in women’s empowerment. Always interested in learning, and seeking to improve her family’s economic situation, she began to attend trainings on entrepreneurship development and the one-acre farming model. Gokarna tai had a supportive husband and mother-in-law, who helped her in implementing bio-farming and vegetable cultivation in the initial 22 guntas of land. From the first season itself, Gokarna tai noticed an improvement in family health, and reduced costs of having to purchase food from the market. Today she, along with her husband, carry out bio-farming on 3 acres of land, selling the produce in the village, block (Ausa) and district (Latur) market.
Bolstered by this success, Gokarna tai decided to diversify into other agri-allied businesses based on the training she had received from SSP. With a loan from her SHG in 2017, she purchased two goats and started raising them with the help of her father-in-law. By reinvesting the profits of the vegetable and goat business, they were able to increase their herd to 25 goats in 2022. A savvy businesswoman, Gokarna tai also purchased a buffalo in 2018 and entered the dairy business. The milk is sold to the village’s Laxmi Dairy, and Gokarna tai receives the money directly into her bank account. Today, Gokarna tai has 2 buffalos and one cow whose milk she sells.
Inspite of the three business (vegetable, goatery and dairy), Gokarna tai was restless. None of the businesses were her own, as they were run jointly by her husband or in-laws. In 2019, Gokarna tai decided to start her own business – a bangle shop. With the business management trainings and initial guidance from other SSP leaders, she was able to navigate the wholesale markets in Latur and manage the accounts of her shop. Today, Gokarna tai is successfully operating her bangle shop independently.
Gokarna tai says that there have been some major changes in the past 5 years. She is now fully involved in her family’s decision-making processes, whereas initially it was only her husband and in-laws who used to take household and farming decisions. She has also gained respect and recognition beyond the household, and is now invited to attend and speak in village meetings. Gokarna tai says that her biggest achievement so far has been mentoring and supporting another 30 women in her village to start businesses and become financially independent.
Swayam Shikshan Prayog
January 09, 2023