Shabana Sayed, from Malkapur village in Osmanabad district, belongs to a landless family. She used to work as a labourer in nearby farms to support the family because her husband did not have a steady income. As a member of the village Self Help Group, Shabana learnt about SSP’s work and the Entrepreneurship Development Program that is helping rural women stand on their own feet. Inspired by the stories of women leaders and entrepreneurs, Shabana tai also began to attend trainings organized by SSP since 2021.
Initially, Shabana started rearing goats and purchased a small soft-drink manufacturing machine that could be operated from her home. Shabana mentions how she conducted a ‘market survey’ with the guidance of SSP and identified that there was both demand and limited supply of soft drinks in nearby villages. Her family, including her husband and two children, supported her in soft drink production and marketing. Today, the locally produced soft drink, which is colloquially called “Pepsi”, is being sold in grocery stores in five villages.
Increased income from goat rearing and soft drink manufacturing allowed Shabana to start a small grocery store in her village where they sell the usual household supplies and the soft drink. Shabana and her husband now work full-time on these businesses and have stopped working on other people’s farms. While Shabana manages the kirana shop, her husband handles marketing of the soft-drink in surrounding villages.
With her soft drink business and grocery store as collateral, Shabana was recently able to purchase some cows and buffaloes to raise. She recognises the importance of having diversified livelihoods to reduce risks and better handle weather emergencies. From having zero savings, Shabana tai is now earning a little over one lakh rupees a month, and is able to save a substantial amount for a rainy day.
Swayam Shikshan Prayog
November 22, 2022