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.

Running Her Own Beauty Salon Had Been A Dream Of Sarda’s Since Childhood

Background

Despite making huge advances in development in our county, women today still face a number of hurdles due to gaping gender gap in the workforce. Only 29% of the women in our country end up joining the workforce. Women who do succeed in their careers become role models for others in the communities. Sardabai, is one such woman from Chota Guda village. She has three children and her husband is a taxi driver. She was married off at the age of 18 years. She was fascinated by beauty parlours since she was a child and always wanted to do a beautician’s course, but familial constraints stopped her from pursuing it as her career.

Life takes a turn for the better

Opportunity came in the form of ‘Bhamreshi Mahila Bachat Samuh’, a self help group that Sardabai joined in Nov 2016. She started saving and gained the confidence to work towards her dream of opening her own Salon. Soon enough, she opened her own salon, however, she did not have enough cosmetics and equipment to keep it running.

A remarkable journey

A major change for the better took place when her SHG was sanctioned a loan of Rs. 2,00,000/- from Rajasthan Marudhara Grameena Bank, Sakroda. She took a loan of Rs. 28,000/ which she used to train herself and equip her parlour. Despite doing good business, Sarda found she could do more during the off-season. That’s when she established a side-business, embellishing artificial ornaments and gift items. The latter now accounts for 30% of her income.

A budding role model

She is especially busy during wedding season when everyone needs a little extra pampering. Together, her two streams of income bring in an average of INR 7000 per month, quite a sizeable amount for Sarda and her family. She is not only earning a reputation in her family but also in the wider community. Today, she is encouraging and motivating other women in her village to start businesses of their own.

Running Her Own Beauty Salon Had Been A Dream Of Sarda’s Since Childhood