Kaliarsy
I used to go for agricultural work with my husband. I have two young sons, so I often had to miss work which meant we were often short of money. Maitri (a VST partner) encouraged us to start self-help groups in my village. Through this self-help group I got a loan of 6,000 rupees to start a shop selling everyday provisions. The shop was a success so later I took another loan of 10,000 rupees to expand it. The profit my shop makes is more than twice what I earned as a labourer. Through the self-help group I have also learnt to basket weave, which I do when the shop isn’t busy.
I can honestly say that the self-help group has brought me from the darkness to the light. Before they came to my village, I didn’t fully realise my problems or the possibilities in my life. Now I am very aware of my problems, and how I can tackle them. I don’t have to go to money lenders anymore, which is a great help, and my whole family is much better off financially. My two children are in school and I’ve become the president of my self-help group. In my group we talk about village issues and how to tackle them.
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