How rural women are redefining knowledge and enterprise in India

As India aspires to become a $35 trillion economy by 2047, its dream rests not only in the cities but also in the vast potential of rural India. Improved infrastructure, better connectivity, and targeted policies are crucial — but lasting progress depends on deeper structural change. True transformation arises from empowering communities with local knowledge, mentorship, and opportunities that nurture self-reliance and dignity.

On National Education Day, the journeys of three rural entrepreneurs — Basanti Ningwal, Madhu Alawe, and Nirmala Ohra — show how community-led training, digital access, and enterprise support can redefine learning beyond conventional classrooms.

Basanti Ningwal: From Bookkeeper to Changemaker

“Education taught me to read and write, but experience taught me to lead my community,” says Basanti Ningwal, 40, from Abahli village in Madhya Pradesh’s Barwani district. Belonging to a Scheduled Tribe community and educated only up to Class 12, Basanti’s early life was filled with challenges.

Working as a bookkeeper for a self-help group under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), she developed basic financial skills and soon saw a need for accessible financial services in her village. With the help of Transform Rural India (TRI) — a development design organisation that supports India’s bottom 1,00,000 villages — Basanti trained, received mentorship, and secured a loan of ₹80,000.

With guidance from TRI’s Enterprise Facilitation Hub, she launched a Common Service Center (CSC) offering money transfers, deposits, withdrawals, and photocopying. The center now serves over 100 people from 50 families, earning her around ₹8,000 a month.

“People used to travel far for simple banking work. Now they come to my center — it saves them time and money. That makes me proud,” she says. Basanti now plans to expand her center and invest in her daughters’ higher education, ensuring the cycle of empowerment continues.

Madhu Alawe: Banking on Self-Belief

In nearby Gram Bijasan, 30-year-old Madhu Alawe has broken social barriers with determination. A member of the Scheduled Tribe community, she faced gender bias and poverty from a young age.

“I always wanted to do something more than daily labour — something that gave me dignity and stability,” Madhu recalls. After completing only Class 8, she worked as a labourer and cattle caretaker until a training program at RSETI (Rural Self Employment Training Institute) changed her life.

She trained to become a BC Sakhi (Banking Correspondence Friend), helping rural citizens with banking access. Through TRI’s Barwani Enterprise Facilitation Hub, Madhu learned business management and secured a ₹50,000 loan from Rang De, a peer-to-peer lending platform.

In 2024, she set up her Common Service Center, serving nearly 100 households and earning up to ₹15,000 per month. Despite personal struggles, including her mother’s illness, Madhu continues to grow her enterprise.

“When women earn, families progress — and so does the village,” she says proudly.

Nirmala Ohra: Beauty, Confidence, and a Vision for Change

At just 22 years old, Nirmala Ohra from Wajhar village in Niwali block, Madhya Pradesh, has transformed her passion for beauty into a thriving livelihood.

“I always loved making people feel confident. I just needed someone to believe in my dream,” she says.

Unable to study beyond Class 12 due to family duties, Nirmala learned beauty techniques through YouTube tutorials. Her persistence led her to TRI’s Niwali Enterprise Facilitation Hub, which provided training, mentorship, and help accessing credit. With support from Rang De and her savings, she raised ₹40,000 and opened a beauty parlour in 2024.

Her salon now offers affordable grooming services to women in nearby villages, earning her ₹8,000–₹12,000 a month.

“Many girls in my village think dreams end after school. I want to show them that dreams can begin from anywhere — even from home,” she says, planning to expand her salon and start a general store.

Empowerment Through Learning and Enterprise

The stories of Basanti, Madhu, and Nirmala prove that education goes far beyond classrooms. Through the support of Transform Rural India’s Enterprise Facilitation Hubs, these women have turned knowledge into opportunity — combining skill training, financial access, and mentorship to transform their lives and communities.

As India celebrates National Education Day, these women remind us that true progress begins when learning empowers, enterprise sustains, and communities lead their own transformation.