by ABFRLadmin | March 8, 2023
In the quaint villages of Sollepura, Anekal or Olgalpada, where ABFRL offers support to build and develop communities, is also home to several Self-Help Groups (SHG). Women here face numerous challenges in their daily lives, but their determination to change their circumstances and create a better future for themselves and their families is unparalleled. With time, as their collective efforts gained momentum, their confidence grew and with the support of ABFRLs CSR wing – the Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Jan Kalyan (ABFRJK) Trust, they started taking on larger projects, benefitting the wider community.
At ABFRL, our sustainable livelihood initiative offers support to several SHGs from diverse backgrounds that make our efforts all the more impactful. By providing a platform, the ABFRJK Trust enables women to fly high and build a dignified life. These women share their achievements and the positive impact with the pride of truly making a difference in their own lives and the lives of those around them, and their legacy would continue to inspire generations to come. Lets take a moment to celebrate their victories!
Reethamas Story of Hope: A will to drive towards better sustenance
From struggling to support her family to moving towards self-sustenance and empowerment, Reethama’s journey demonstrates how a little push can do wonders! Reethama lives in Sollepuram, a village in Tamil Nadu, with her son. After her husbands death, she started working as a flower picker. However, the income generated barely supported her family. She joined Fatima SHG, in her village. From the INR 50,000 rupees that the ABFRJK Trust invested in the SHG, she took a loan of INR 40, 000 to buy a cow. With this, she has embarked on her journey towards a dignified life.
I get 5 litres of milk from the cow each morning and evening to sell. Currently, selling milk brings in INR 5000 every month for me. Earlier, I used to make INR 2500 every month from my daily labor. Now, I now earn INR 7500, which is enough to cover my familys costs. For this, I express my deepest gratitude to the Aditya Birla Group.
Radhas Rise to Success: A tale of striking balance between livelihood and motherhood
Radha, like many other women, found it difficult to balance work and motherhood. She discovered the Kaushalya (ABG-LabourNet) training centre in Anekal and enrolled in its tailoring classes. Her passion for tailoring led her to start taking orders. After completing her training, Radha took a loan to buy more machines and hired more women to work with her. Her business grew, and people around her started to know about her talent. Today, she has 20 machines, earns a monthly income of around INR 60,000 and provides a livelihood to women in her community. Radhas success serves an example to women, who want to achieve independence and self-sustenance.
Kusumas life as an Entrepreneur: A story of roaring success in the face of hardships
Armed with a BA degree, Kusuma, struggled to make a career from her education. She turned to the Kaushalya skilling centre in Anekal for a certificate course in tailoring. With new found confidence, she started her entrepreneurial journey to manufacture shopping bags for eco-conscious brands and consumers. Six years into the business, she has a small factory with 40 full-time employees. She also offers work-from-home to people from neighbouring villages for fulfilling orders. Few of her orders include 15,000 bags for a well-known supermarket chain; 1,00,000 Peter England bags for ABFRL; and 4,00,000 bags for a local fashion store in Bangalore. Despite facing challenges with quotations and transportation, Kusuma has proven herself as an exceptional entrepreneur, employing 80 members and successfully running the business seamlessly. Kusuma truly is an inspiration for every women who aspires to be an entrepreneur.
The Resilient Women of Odisha: A Story of Determination, Unity and Success
The role of SHGs goes beyond empowerment and development in marginalized communities. This is a safe place that allows women to come together, support each other, and work towards common goals. In Olgalpada village, Odisha, ABFRJK Trust supports 13 Self Help Groups. Apart from assistance in the form of financial aid, ABFRJK Trust also extends help by offering the necessary skills and materials. Kalpana Moharana and Chitrakala Moharana of Maa Batabhuasuni SHG have set up a Paper Plate Making Unit. The group has slowly become a powerful tribe of 10, which has immense faith in their leaders to accomplish every milestone. The unit has witnessed commendable success, securing a monthly income between INR 10,000 to INR 15,000 thus adding to their family income. The ABFRJK Trust has provided necessary assistance from sourcing raw materials to marketing the final product. We, at ABFRL, cannot wait to see them shine!
We, at ABFRL, have always rooted for women empowerment to see their beliefs turn into reality. We realize that empowering a woman today will lead to a progressive society for tomorrow. This is our motivation to encourage and engage women towards a fulfilling and promising life for themselves.
