Baripada: Jayanti (31) achieved self-reliancewith her tenacity, perseverance, enthusiasm, and hard work. A native of Mayurbhanj’s Kantipur village in Betnotitehsil has completed Std 10; yet, educational qualification has never stood in her way to pursue her love for independence.
The family’s financial limitations prevented Jayanti from pursuing her ambition to learn more, despite the fact that she had always wanted to accomplish something unique since she was a young child. Prior to getting married, she used to work from home as a tailor to assist her parents in maintaining the household.
She married Santosh Kumar Chanda of Kalma village in 2012, yet she never wavered in her commitment to independence and self-reliance. Within a year of getting married, Jayanti opened a cosmetic store out of the house of her in-laws and joined the recently established self-help group “BadamMaa” in Kalma village.
She eventually rose to the position of SHG president. With a loan of Rs 40,000 from the bank through the SHG, Jayanti began looking into social media platforms, in order to find better ways to improve her standard of living.
She stumbled upon a video on a social networking website, teaching people how to make sandals. Jayanti, a budding entrepreneur, was motivated by the video and developed the knowledge necessary to produce shoes and chappals with the least amount of tools.
Once Jayanti obtained the equipment and the raw materials from a company in Kolkata, there was no turning back for her. She began a shoe factory in a room of her home by borrowing extra money from a friend.
Jayanti currently does all of her domestic chores on her own; she has never neglected them, and she also operates a successful sandal manufacturing business. She makes between Rs 30 to 40,000 a month by selling each pair for between Rs 100 and 120.
Jayanti, who has a creative imagination, makes meal trays for buffets using the same machine. She doesn’t need to go out today and look for customers. They visit her house to purchase the goods, which in and of itself speaks volumes about the calibre and robustness of the sandals and trays she produces.
Jayanti currently has two ladies working for her, and she hopes to grow her business and hire more villager women. Jayanti’s ability to realise her aspirations has also been greatly influenced by the Odisha Livelihood Mission.
In spite of poverty and a lack of resources, this accomplished woman has served as an example of success. The perfect lady manages her household and her business concurrently while making sure neither has an effect on the other.
As we read about Jayanti, all of this may sound like something out of a fairy tale, but she never had an easy road to success. To get to the point where she is now, she had to overcome many obstacles and setbacks while remaining persistent.
Today, as our country enters its 77th year of independence, Jayanti’s tale serves as a tangible illustration of how women’s empowerment has helped our country advance and become stronger.
