Economic self-reliance resolves many problems…
Chaubaria Chamar Tola is about 65 kilometres in North of Bagaha-I block of West Champaran district. Around 80% households of this village belong to scheduled caste (SC). There are 175 households of SC community but most of them were landless. There was high outflow of migration among this community. The staple occupation of this community is the labour work to meet the expenses of their family.
PEARL project started in this village in July 2020. That time, community of this village was not organized and women were scattered socially. Project staff started visiting and talking to the women. They were made aware on self-help groups and socio-economic development possible through the groups in the village. Ghulab self-help group was formed women started attending the meetings regularly. They also started saving Rs. 100 in the group by each member. Gradually women were oriented on labour work and livelihood and being united they could resolve their big problems. In a meeting of Ghulab self-help group held on 26th April 2022, Mr. Munna Yadav- project staff explained about the poverty and livelihood. Mrs. Anita Devi also decided to start a work of cosmetics shop. She put the proposal of loan for the shop in the meeting of her group held on 19th May 2022. Mrs. Anita Devi was provided a loan of Rs. 3000 from the group and she also asked some money from her husband.
She then started a shop of bangles, cosmetics and fast-food roadside. Her shop was inaugurated on 2nd June 2022 which is now running very well. Mrs. Anita Devi said, “there is a great benefit of being in group. Saving small amount in the group leads to the provision of loan. I started my livelihood because of the group. Now my husband is earning Rs. 200-300 without going out to work. I thank to PEARL project, Samagra and my group. Everybody in the group helped me a lot”.