From Grower to Leader: Basmati’s Story
Basmati Gagrai: From SHG Member to Empowered Entrepreneur and Community Leader
Basmati’s journey is a testament to resilience, determination, and entrepreneurial spirit. Growing up in her uncle’s home in Sarjamda, she faced early challenges but turned them into opportunities for growth and empowerment. During her school education, she worked part-time in a shop to fund her education till class 12th. After completing her inter in 2015, she got married in 2016 and gave birth to a baby in 2017. Due to financial constraints, she wasn’t even able to afford nutritious food for herself during her pregnancy. She understood that her current situation was untenable and this incident sparked her resolve to change her circumstances. The inability to meet even basic needs stirred a deep determination within her. She decided that once her baby was old enough, she would take decisive action to transform their circumstances.
A chance encounter with women from a neighbouring village introduced Basmati to the concept of SHGs. She immediately decided that she would also make such a group in her village and swiftly mobilised 12 women from her village by visiting door-to-door and registering the group by contacting the AIDENT team herself in August 2018. Within a month of the SHG formation, Basmati participated in mushroom cultivation training. She got interested and started with 30 beds in her home. Her in-laws resisted the mushroom cultivation inside their home, but Basmati persevered. She discussed with her husband and created a separate plastic shed beside her home to cultivate mushrooms. Realising that there are high profits in this business, she grew her scale to 200-300 beds annually. She cultivates both types of mushroom-oyster and paddy straw, throughout the year and earns an impressive yearly income of 50,000-60,000 Rs through this business.
Not content with a single venture, Basmati expanded into duck rearing. This additional business contributes another 20,000 rupees to her annual income- she buys 30-40 ducklings each year, rears them for 2-3 months, and sells them in the market for ~Rs 500 Rs each. With a total annual expenditure of Rs 20,000 across businesses, her entrepreneurial activities now generate a net profit of approximately Rs 50,000 per year.
Meanwhile, she also graduated with distinction and joined AIDENT as a full-time facilitator in July 2022. Currently, she oversees 48 SHGs and 100 households involved in mushroom cultivation, impacting 471 women across four gram panchayats. This position adds another Rs 132,000 to her annual income. Basmati’s combined income from her entrepreneurial ventures and the job at AIDENT amounts to an impressive 1.8 lakh rupees annually.
Their family also has a kitchen garden, which is taken care of by her father-in-law. Her husband works for a company in Jamshedpur and earns Rs 11,000 monthly. Basmati’s contribution to her household and the local community has been significant. She is delighted to inform.
“People now know me as ‘mushroom wali didi’. It has helped me get recognition in the society. Women look up to me as a role model as I have studied well and started my own business. My in-laws have understood my capabilities and my husband now consults me for the household decisions. I make my own decision with respect to the business- what to buy and how much production scale to plan for the year, etc. My income flows in my personal bank account and I’m the owner of my money and my decisions. I bought my Activa scooter and laptop with my own earning. I also take care of my child’s school fee.”
She had taken a loan from SHG for her business and from the bank for her Activa and laptop. She has repaid the loan for her two-wheeler and is now paying installments for her laptop from her bank account. She also funds her child’s education, a point of particular pride.
In a short span of two years of working at AIDENT, Basmati has established herself as a valuable asset within the organisation and the villages where she works. She delightfully says – “The senior team members call me to different field locations other than my work area to support in business-related activities”.
Basmati’s story is one of remarkable grit, dedication, and entrepreneurial spirit. At a young age, she successfully navigated the risks of starting and diversifying businesses, managed external financing, and emerged successful. Her journey from a struggling individual to an empowered entrepreneur and leader illustrates the impact of personal determination and the ripple effect of women’s economic empowerment in rural communities.