Balasore: Chandrakanti Jena of Srirampur village under Baliapal block of Balasore district is an example of self-reliance and has shown other women the way to earn a living.
Chandrakanti, a housewife in a not-so-well-off household, by her sheer grit and enterprising skill, is the president of Rameswar Producers’ Group and has made as many as 35 women add to their family’s incomes.
In 1990 she was married to Ajay Jena who used to run a small garments shop in Srirampur village market. After the birth of their two sons, it became very difficult for her to run the household with her husband Ajay’s meagre income.
It was in 2001, with 20 women from the neighbourhood Chandrakanti formed the Sankarnath Self Help Group (SHG) and started saving Rs 20 a month.
“When I had two sons from our marriage I faced great financial hardship with my husband’s meagre income to run the family. In 2001 we formed a self-help group with 20 women and each of us deposited Rs 20 a month” said Chandrakanti.
She took a loan of Rs 1,500 from the SHG group purchased a cow and sold milk to add to the family’s income. With the income from selling milk, she could fend for the education of her two sons up to class Xth.
“In 2009 I developed an interest in sewing. I was earning a good amount and then I developed an interest in applique work and took MCM training in making “chanduas” (canopy with applique work) through the DIC,” stated Chandrakanti.
After getting trained she started making chanduas and earned a good amount by selling the products in exhibitions organised by ORMAS, DIC and Mission Shakti.
“I felt if I can earn a few bucks from this why can’t other women like me? Then in 2020 with 35 women we formed a Producers’ Group—Rameswar Producers. I skilled them in sewing and applique work and we are now making applique products and other products. We got working capital finance of Rs 2.04 lakh from Mission Shakti through which we purchased eight sewing machines. Members are also bringing their own sewing machines and we now have 38 sewing machines. We are now producing goods worth Rs 3—4 lakh in a month and selling these through exhibitions held in Bengaluru, Ahmedabad, Mission Shakti bazaars, etc.,” she said.
Each member of the Rameswar Producers’Group is earning Rs 3000—4000 a month and adding to their family’s smiles.
