The Unstoppable Shanti Bai: How One Woman Changed Her Destiny

Manjari Corner

In a move to boost rural economic development, Manjari Foundation have officially signed an Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Rajasthan Grameen Aajeevika Vikas Parishad (Rajeevika). This 5 year partnership will identify 10-12 high-potential enterprises and move them from local initiatives to market-ready businesses. A two-day training program was organised at Dariba location focusing on capacity building, teamwork and field skills for the group sakhis. Financial literacy training was conducted in Bhaldia, which included money management, savings, investment strategies, and maintaining income-expenditure balance. Information was also provided about Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana and Sukanya Samriddhi Yojana. In collaboration with RSETI, Manjari has trained thirty rural women from Batheda Khurd village, Mawli on artificial jewelry making.

The Unstoppable Shanti Bai: How One Woman Changed Her Destiny

Sep 06, 2024

This is the story of Shanti Bai, who was married at an young age of 16 years and has 3 children. Her daughter has dropped out of school and is married. Her eldest son has also dropped out from school after class 12 and is working as a mechanic in Surat. Her husband works as a construction worker and his income is very irregular. She was a unlettered and was a housewife when she decided to start her own enterprise.

Shanti Bai was associated with Sakhi project as a SHG member in 2021. She had availed a loan of 25K in 2022 and a loan of 25K in June 2022 to open a grocery shop in her village. She earns 5-6K every month from her grocery shop. She has also reared buffalo and goats for additional income. She says “I wanted to go to school with my brothers but my father never allowed me to go to school and instead I was asked to do all the household work. She is illiterate but she has learnt to calculate money and maintain her stock in the shop. She feels that she has received true empowerment after she has ventured out of home.