𝐅𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐅𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐞𝐫 𝐭𝐨 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞
In the village of Manjari in Maharashtra’s Latur district, a remarkable woman named Saibai Kale has been reshaping lives—starting with her own. With just a few acres of land and limited formal education, Saibai’s world once revolved solely around farming, a difficult livelihood with unpredictable returns. But everything changed in 2018, when she came across Swayam Shikshan Prayog (SSP).
Through SSP, Saibai discovered new avenues to support her family. She began offering stitching services and taking on small jobs, steadily increasing her income. The improvement in her financial condition allowed her to send her children to good schools, while the encouragement from her family gave her the strength to dream bigger—not just for herself, but for her entire community.
What started as a personal transformation soon became a collective revolution. Saibai began organizing women farmers in her village, forming self-help groups and training them in sustainable agricultural practices under the Women-led Climate Resilient Farming (WCRF). She connected these women to government schemes through the Agricultural Technology Management Agency (ATMA) and helped them access bank loans—opening doors that had long been shut.
Her leadership extended beyond training sessions. Saibai was instrumental in mobilizing farmers to adopt biogas technology, reducing dependence on firewood and contributing to cleaner energy use. She led village development activities, encouraged eco-friendly farming using vermicompost, and tirelessly advocated for entrepreneurship. Through her efforts, 119 families switched from chemical to bio farming, and 30 farmers installed biogas units on their land.
But perhaps her most profound impact has been on women’s financial independence. With Saibai’s guidance, 70 women launched small-scale businesses, while 44 were linked to banks, resulting in loans worth INR 10 lakhs. She facilitated access to seeds, sheds, and educational resources by linking 74 farmers to various government schemes. Her advocacy brought in subsidies worth over INR 2.75 lakhs and opened up new economic opportunities in the village.
Despite these achievements, Saibai is far from done. Her vision for the future is bold and clear: to scale up 30 of the existing small enterprises into large-scale businesses, help 70 women market their products locally, and train 200 farmers in sustainable practices. She dreams of better infrastructure, improved roads, and a village that thrives through inclusive development.Saibai Kale’s story is not just about success—it’s about resilience, vision, and the extraordinary impact one woman can have when given the right tools. From a struggling farmer to a community leader and change-maker, Saibai continues to prove that true empowerment lies in lifting others as you rise.
Swayam Shikshan Prayog
20th May, 2025