Hirabai Ben Lobi

Hirabai Ben Lobi

Hirabaiben is a woman of strength in the true sense. Orphaned at a young age, Hirabaiben had to face a lot of hardships due to her family’s huge financial debt. But that did not stop her fighting spirit! Despite having a limited education, she spotted an real opportunity to generate a livelihood after learning about new methods of farming on the local radio. Keen to explore this further, she took out a loan to start an organic compost farm much to the resistance of the local community. Through hard work and determination and the help of other women from the Siddi community in Gujarat, her persistent efforts paid off. This new scientific method of farming provided lucrative for Hirabaiben and a sustainable farming enterprise was established. Today, Hirabaiben’s success continues and her vermicompost manufacturing group rivals well-known brands and sells approx. Rs 700,000 worth of compost on an annual basis.

Hirabaiben has played a crucial role in wider society’s issues and has motivated many other women to get involved. The focus of her work has been on health, financial independence and agricultural improvement. She has even used her earnings and awards grants from her agri business to improve the local school and now plans to open a college.

Today, Hirabaiben is 60 years of age and the happy mother of three children. All of which have followed in her footsteps, with one son and daughter helping her in the business and a younger son proudly attending agricultural college.

Quote: What makes you proud to be a women today?
“I am proud that despite being a women in a village where awareness and generating funds is a difficulty, I am able to educate and instil self sufficiency in the community members. They look up to me as their inspiration, and that motivates me and makes me humble.”