The Resurging Value of Civil Society for Indian Crafts
Choosing to help the society along with pursuing an ambition to become independent has worked for many rural women across India through social enterprising opportunities offered by DEF.
In an environment where women limit themselves to household chores and working is a distant dream, it takes a lot of courage to decide to step in the direction of independence by deciding to become an entrepreneur. Such women also set the path for others to follow and open up new doors of opportunity where not just them, but the community grows along with them on all frontiers.
But the struggles to reach that point are very real as seen in Roshini’s journey of becoming a SoochnaPreneur. She is a 32-year-old woman from the Chhapora village of Chhattisgarh. She has a daughter and son who are pursuing education. Roshni’s husband works at Raipur Reliance Company in fitter trade.
Roshni wanted to help her husband with the family income because of which she opened the SoochanaPreneur centre in the village under the Digital Daan program. Roshni comes from a village where the taboo of a woman working is still persistent. Therefore, Roshni discussed with her husband and family members before opening the SoochnaPreneur centre, especially with mother-in-law. They all supported her in her decision.
But once the centre was opened at her house, she had no visitors. Then she started the work of filling out the RTE (Right To Education) form for the students and made income by giving out printouts only. Then she completed the PGDCA course (Post-graduation diploma in computer application) and applied for the CSC (Common Service Center) ID.
Then she shifted the centre from home to the village Chaupal and used all the certificates to run the centre. After that, the villagers and people from other villages started to visit her centre for digital services. Now, Roshni provides digital and banking services like updating Pan Cards, opening bank accounts, Sukanya scheme, and RTE (Right to education) Forms as well as the old age pension withdrawal, etc.
Now Roshni is able to earn a monthly income of around 15,000 to 18,000 rupees and contributes to the family income. Roshni expresses that as she provides the digital and financial services in the village, the people of the village and her family members are happy. She is pleased to be able to contribute to the family income and live the life of an independent woman.
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