Empowering SHG Women: An Entrepreneur’s Journey Towards Self-Reliance

Five years ago, Siggireddy Rajyalakshmi had to stretch herself to meet her shoe-string budget with meager income.

As a tailor, her earnings never went beyond Rs.3,000 to Rs.4,000 a month. And during the wedding and festival season, she managed to earn another Rs.2,000 extra.

Today, Rajyalakshmi handles a team of six women who work at her unit ‘Sri Sai Balaji Chirudanyalu’ (millets)’ connected with Sri Ganesh SHG (self-help group). Shouldering responsibilities and sharing work, they get into business, planning their roles well in advance.

The unit set up at Bowluvada village in Anakapalli district has assorted millet products in flour and ready-to-eat forms along with an array of millet-based desserts, fritters and munchies. “We will also supply to those who reach out to us through WhatsApp. When business slowly started to stabilise, we did not slip into a comfort zone. As we are good at cooking, we decided to take our business to the next level by exploring allied services,” shares Rajyalakshmi with The Hans India.

That is when Rajyalakshmi embarked on the catering service. Through Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises Scheme, she availed a loan to the tune of Rs.6.52 lakh initially. “We got equipment required for the catering business. Both my mother and I could easily cook for 100 people a day. With the team assisting us further, we could reach out to different communities to garner business deals so that there is a continuous flow of work for us,” reasons Rajyalakshmi, who studied till Class X.

However, despite her educational background, the entrepreneur is smart enough to pick up nuances of the business and gain a grip over the logistics part. “We supply finger millet (ragi) malt instead of coffee and tea and millet-based snacks, meals to government offices during meetings, mandal reviews and other conferences that keep recurring at frequent intervals. In addition, we supply our products to three Mahila Marts in Anakapalli,” she explains.

After meeting all her unit and house expenses, including EMIs for the loans availed and salaries to the staff, Rajyalakshmi saves Rs.12,000 a month. “I have admitted my two daughters to a convent school. Although my husband, who looks after a lorry business, extends financial support, I contribute a large chunk of the expenditure to my family,” she confides after wrapping up her recent trip to New Delhi wherein she got a rare opportunity of witnessing the Republic Day parade organised as a part of the meet for beneficiaries of Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Rural Livelihoods Mission and Pradhan Mantri Awaas Yojana-Gramin by the Ministry of Rural Development. Terming it as a memorable trip, Rajyalakshmi says that she was the only representative to attend the conference from Anakapalli.

Associated with Susag Millets Producers Company Ltd-FPO, Rajyalakshmi has been instrumental in helping 40 to 45 SHG women to avail loans and guiding them set up business units. With the support of Sarada Valley Development Samithi, she along with a few other women got trained by the National Bank for Agricultural and Rural Development (NABARD) in making millet-based food before embarking on their endeavour. “Today, I feel so glad to empower six women along with me. My next goal is to make my team members as partners so that they could lead the business along with me,” says Rajyalakshmi.

By investing in an auto-rickshaw, Rajyalakshmi and her ‘she’ team operate the catering business with ease as weekly orders multiply.