Painting a better picture of rural life
“She is a warrior capable of slaying demons. She is a pioneer capable of choosing her own
path. She is a trailblazer capable of achieving new horizons. Just give her some time and see her
bedazzle the world.”
― Avijeet Das
These are the qualities that define Daku Bai Meghwal of Bhainsadakal village in Udaipur district of Rajasthan. The above quote holds true for Mrs. Daku Bai. Wife of Bhana Ramji and a mother o four, Daku Biahas is an expert and a leading practitioner of integrated farming in her village.
Manjari Foundation in collaboration with Hanuman Van Vikas Samiti has been working in Debari since 2017. Daku bai was one of the early members of ‘Bheru Ji Bawji’ Self Help Group promoted under the Sakhi Programme. The group consisting of 15 women, holds meeting twice a month, contributing a regular saving of
INR 50 per per person at every meeting.
The motivation and guidance from the meetings and the training sessions helped hone Daku Bai’s mindset, and she soon started thinking like an entrepreneur. The family had a small landholding in which they were already practicing floriculture. However, income from this was seasonal. Realising the potential of the poultry business, Daku Bai and her family invested INR 10 lakh (that they had saved over many years) to start a new business. Daku bai took a loan of INR 50000 from the SHG.
When they started, they had an initial count of 1600 chicks that they had bought the same from Nasirabad. They build a shelter and fed the chicks as per advice they received in trainings. In a short span of 90 days, the results spoke for itself. They sold the broilers and eggs to Ranawat poultry farm in Udaipur and the Mandi (market) in Savina, Udaipur. This gave then a healthy inflow of cash which enabled them to procure another 1600 chicks.
Today, this business generates a monthly income of Rs.20,000 for Daku Bai and her family. The family is involved in dairy farming. Together, the family is earning a livelihood from multiple streams – floriculture, dairy farming and poultry farming, demonstrating the success of rural entrepreneurship, when done right. Daku Bai has now applied for a second loan from the Federation which is in process.
Today Daku bai has become a role model in the village, admired and recognised by all. She not only motivates women of her SHG but also guiding other women in the village to start their own ventures and add value to their lives. In doing do, Daku bai is painting a better picture of Rural Life. Isn’t she?
