Dream, determination, struggle, empathy and entrepreneurial mindset are some of the common elements of all SoochnaPreneurs. Here is one such story expressing all these elements, giving a better picture of what it takes to be a SoochnaPreneur.
Stepping out of a routine is often a brave thing to do, but always comes with its own challenges. Some are determined and prepare themselves to face these obstacles while others find it more comfortable to coil back into the warmth of familiarity. Stories of our SoochnaPreneurs often fall under the former category and that is what keeps them driving to constantly find better ways of helping their communities by allowing themselves to take the plunge.
Pooja is a SoochnaPreneur from Sisona Village, Uttarakhand. She narrates her story, “Being married and a mother of one child, I have neglected my dream and limited myself to household chores. I always had this plan of opening a centre for digital services for many years but had to let go of it because of financial constraints and my own responsibilities at home.
My husband works in a private company earning 12,000 rupees per month which was not sufficient for us. He has always motivated me to work on my dream and made me believe that when I was ready, I could still make it come true by introducing the SoochnaPreneur model by talking to Fardeen Shah, district coordinator of DEF at Roorkee. I got a lot of clarity about the concept and was very excited to get it started. There is a photocopy shop in my village but their prices are very high. Through the SoochnaPreneur program, not only did I get a chance to fulfil my dream but also got to do something for my people. My Community Information Resource Center (CIRC) has been inaugurated recently and I was glad to see many from the village visiting the centre to show support and shower blessings. The Pradhan of the village was very happy that the daughter of their village is taking the initiative of starting her own digital service centre in the village.
Because of the support from DEF, I can extend my support at home by contributing financially along with other responsibilities. I am trying to convert my CIRC into a Common Service Centre to make myself more self reliant.”