Self-Sustained Livelihoods: Women Leading the Way

Manisha ..

Meenu Devi is a 36-year-old entrepreneur from Sikhar, Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh. There are four members in her family including her children. Initially, Meenu’s family was based in Lucknow, where her husband worked in medicine supply to clinics and her father-in-law was employed at the post office. They also did some poultry work and sold milk to the local dairy. Then they moved to Sikhar, Mirzapur where new challenges compelled Meenu to explore entrepreneurship in a rural region.

?“I joined the Nav Chetna Agro Producer Farmer Company (FPO) in 2019. It was Anju Didi, a member of Nav Chetna, who introduced me to the FPO. Being a part of FPO I learnt how to start my enterprise. There I got to meet new women like me,” shares Meenu. Through her active participation in FPO meetings, Meenu discovered the importance of being a working woman in the community, and her perspective on business and self-reliance shifted. Therefore, a year later she decided to start her atta chakki (flour mill). Initially she ran the mill on diesel, but frequent breakdowns and high fuel costs made the business difficult to sustain.

?In 2023, during a community meeting organised under the Energy Transition for Rural emPowerment project supported by HSBC Bank, Meenu found the solution she had been looking for. As she shared the challenges of running a diesel-powered flour mill that often led to losses, the facilitators of the Urja Mandala initiative introduced her to the concept of transitioning to solar energy.

?The shift to solar power brought significant improvements to Meenu’s business. With consistent and clean energy, she could operate her Atta Chakki for longer hours, which allowed her to serve more customers and take on larger orders. The savings on diesel expenses were substantial, reducing her monthly operational costs by 70%. This, in turn, increased her monthly profits by 30%, providing a new level of financial security for her family.

?Before the transition, Meenu's monthly income from the atta chakki averaged around INR 20,000, with diesel costs consuming about INR 5,000 of that. After shifting to solar energy, her monthly expenses dropped to around INR 1,000 for maintenance, while her income increased to INR 30,000 due to higher production capacity. This transition effectively boosted her net earnings, enabling her to reinvest in her business and set aside savings for her children’s education.?

Meenu's achievements have made her an inspiration to other women in her community. Her determination and success have earned her deep respect, motivating others to pursue their dreams. When asked who inspires her most, she replies, “My husband is my biggest supporter in life. He has faced life's challenges with resilience and instilled in me the importance of diligence.” Meenu envisions expanding her business by introducing an advanced stitching unit in the future. This initiative would create more jobs and enhance the local economy, enabling women to learn advanced stitching techniques and improve their skills for better employment opportunities.