Empowerment through Entrepreneurship

Janmoni Rabha belongs to a small tribal family residing at Kahuwa, a small village along the Assam under the Chhaygaon community development Block. Like any other common women of the village, Janmoni was also a simple and sober woman, but she always bothered about the low-level income of the family and looking for a better option to improve the financial status of her family and decided to set up the nursery under a project implemented by Grameen Sahara in their village. She was trained on management and maintenance of nursery and on various marketing aspects. It is also worth mentioning that there has been a huge potentiality of this activity because there is a huge demand and supply gap for the farmers towards getting quality planting materials in right time. Her husband Mr. Ranjan Rabha is a farmer who tried his best to manage his family by farming activities, but could hardly manage. Though he had 4.5 acre of lands out of which in 2.5 acre of was utilized for Paddy cultivation in Kharif season. But the huge area of his homestead land was remaining unused except a few Areca nut trees.

It was at this time she came in contact with a volunteer of Grameen Sahara who was working in Kulshi area (in Chhaygaon Block) under a project. Janmoni approached him and expressed her willingness to participate in the project. As per suggestion of the volunteer and discussion of the villagers she decided to set up horticulture-based nursery. That was the beginning of her journey.  Taking the advantages of various projects being implemented there by Grameen Sahara she started cultivation of various crops in her homestead of about Two Acre of lands besides group farming. Turmeric, Black Pepper, Ginger, Banana, Areca nut, Lemon, seasonal vegetables, are cultivated in her homestead. Step by step her life started taking a new turn. Now her homestead has become an ideal farmland. Outside farmers, Agri- Scientists, other visitors often come to visit her farmland. Janmoni has now been recognized as an active and hard-working women entrepreneur of Chhaygaon block. Last year she has been able to earn Rs. 80,000 form horticulture and nursery crops. Anyone who visit Kahuwa village will definitely find her working either in her nursery or in her own farmland or in the fields where her group cultivates spices or other crops.

Janmoni has now become a role model for others as she is demonstrating ways to tap livelihood opportunities for many other farmers. Her accountability towards her activities has influenced others and even representatives of various government and non-government agencies often visit her nursery unit which encourages her to be more active. She is now planning to set up 4 more stalls in 4 different places in the block. Janmoni feels empowered not only economically but at the same time socially. Her status on the society has elevated.