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Meera Tikeshwar was a homemaker from rural Madhya Pradesh, who discovered her potential when she joined an SHG and a group of similar women.
In every Indian household, there is a story like this one. In every home, you will encounter a woman who strives to change her life and future because she refuses to accept defeat and doesn’t allow anyone to undermine her. She is prepared to face any challenges or risks for the well-being of her family.
It is often said that when you decide to confront any adversity, the strength to fight it emerges within you, no matter how significant the challenge may be. No one can understand this better than a woman. Whether it’s about her future or anyone connected to her, she puts in every effort and finds a way to overcome obstacles.
A woman from the small village of Badgaon in the Lanji block of Balaghat, Madhya Pradesh. Meera, a housewife, transformed her life and the lives of those around her through unwavering determination.
Meera’s home was a small one, and her husband used to work in agriculture, providing Meera with the evening earnings. Her livelihood was dependent on that income. Despite these circumstances, Meera never felt discouraged. Instead, she always thought that someday her fortunes would change.
The opportunity came when Meera learned about the Self-Help Group (SHG) in her village. Prior to this, she had never heard about such a group, nor did she know what it took to be a part of it. All she knew was that she wanted to change her destiny no matter what.
Meera shares, “I had always been responsible only for household chores. However, when I joined the Self Help Group (SHG), I realized the hidden potential within me. My SHG was named ‘Varsha Swyam Sahayata Samuh.’ I received training within the group, and after the training, I decided to take up farming to support my family’s expenses. I began organic farming on our own 2-acre field.”
She continues, “To cultivate, I prepared organic fertiliser myself. I also started the cultivation of wheat, rice, and peppers on my field.”
Meera formed a group by bringing together women. She benefited greatly from this initiative. Now, she understood that there was no need for any woman to suffer, as she had discovered ways to overcome challenges and wanted to share this knowledge with others.
She says, “I formed three groups in the village, with more than 45 women joining. All of them are now engaged in organic farming for their families.”
The situation of every woman associated with the groups was improving. They were earning and working to enhance the future of their families. Meera formed 31 Self Help Groups in the larger village, bringing together more than 300 women and transforming their lives.
Now Meera understood that she could take charge of her life. She contemplated how she could expand her work. When she learned that she could get support from the government to further her work, she decided to take a loan from CCL. So, she began to understand the process of taking a loan.
She shares, “I took a loan from the bank through CCL. Initially, I took a loan of one lakh. With its help, I bought a grocery store, expanded it, and then took a loan of 2 lakhs 75 thousand rupees. The bank readily approved my loan because I had repaid the previous loan efficiently. With the next loan, I bought a photocopy machine. I also got borewell work done in my field, conducted various agricultural activities, and started working by purchasing rice also.”
In Badgaon, Meera and all her groups have become an exemplary model for every villager. Due to their efforts, the majority of families in the village are practising organic farming, improving their lives. Because of this, Meera’s work is not only recognized locally, but the local government is also promoting it throughout the region. In areas affected by Naxal insurgency, such as Balaghat, women are becoming self-reliant by joining Self Help Groups. Alongside this, Meera has become a special example in this region, serving as a source of inspiration for every woman.
Ravivar Vichar has made a commitment to bring forth the stories of every such woman and make us aware of their lives.
In this WomensWebXMahilaMoney impact series, we bring you entrepreneurs like Meera Tikeshwar who had not just the ambition to grow, but took the steps needed to bring their dreams to fruition. Apply for a loan of up to 25 lakhs to fuel your business growth by downloading the Mahila Money App on Google Playstore or visiting the website here.
Mahila Money is a neobank for women supporting entrepreneurs with productive capital via loans and a community platform for business success and other financial products like insurance and investments. Mahila Money facilitates loans for businesses, read more...
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