Alwar: Dozens of women in this Rajasthan district are breaking free from convention to become self-sufficient and empowered, sparking a quiet revolution. Previously limited to the four walls, homemakers are increasingly shouldering the financial responsibilities of their families alongside males by earning a living through self-help groups (SHGs).
Rajasthan Grameen Aajeevika Vikas Parishad (Rajeevika), a skill development initiative run by the Ministry of Rural Development, assists female folks in forming groups and producing a variety of goods—ranging from handcrafted home decor to culinary products—that are having an impact on the market.
A member of one such SHG, Uganti Meena, says that after joining the group almost ten years ago, she could support her family financially and transform her life. “I was earlier confined to my home, but now I have employment and a good income,” she says.
Uganti says the products her group makes give every member a good income to contribute to the household expenses.
“We make handmade items for home decoration, including bandarwal, chains, earrings, jute and khadi bags, and other types of items. People like the items prepared by them a lot, and they are earning a good income due to the increasing demand day by day,” she says.
Kumkum, a member of the Neha Self-Help Group, says she got recognition when she stepped out of her house for the first time and joined the group.
“I started making roasted namkeen and papad, which received a good response from people. I got support from other group members who made my products popular and got me the confidence to work hard on my products,” she adds.
Aarti, another member of Neha SHG, says that joining the group has made her self-reliant and more confident. “Earlier, I used to sell my products from home, but now we set up stalls and also supply our products to shops in the district," she says.
She says that the group makes all kinds of papad, sherbet, and other food items with the help of other group members and even her family, including her husband.
The self-help groups are also providing women with access to loans, which they can repay with ease. "We get loans from the bank with the help of Rajeevika officials, and we repay it by taking out some amount from our income," says Aarti.
The efficacy of women's empowerment through Rajeevika is demonstrated by the success of the self-help groups in Alwar. Aarti appealed to other women to join the initiative by the Rajasthan government and give wings to their dreams.
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