In Mangolpur village of Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, evenings were often the most difficult time for Geeta. As the day ended, she would sit quietly thinking about the next morning. What would be cooked? How would school expenses be managed? What if someone in the family fell sick? With only her husband’s income to depend on, the answers were never certain. Geeta’s husband Santosh drives an auto and his irregular earnings were the only source of income for the family. Geeta has two children Khushboo, who studies in Class 11 and Anshu, who studies in Class 7. Due to financial hardship, there was a real risk that Khushboo might drop out of school and even be pushed towards child labour, affecting her future.
Geeta was a member of a Self-Help Group and understood the importance of saving. Still, saving without her own income felt impossible. Whatever little she managed to save was soon spent on food, clothes or medicines.
In August 2019, Prayatn Sanstha, through the Sambal Project in collaboration with Kindernothilfe (KNH) e.V., began working in Mangolpur village and 50 other villages of Cholapur block. The team spent time in the community, listening to families and building trust. Regular discussions were held with women and community-based groups such as Child Protection Committees, Bal Manch, adolescent girls’ groups and Self-Help Groups were formed. These spaces created an environment where women could openly share their struggles.
During one SHG meeting, something changed for Geeta. The women spoke about empty kitchens, unpaid school fees and the pressure of running a household with little money. Then she shared what had been on her mind for a long time. She said she did not want to depend only on saving anymore she wanted to earn. She expressed her desire to start a small home-based grocery business to create steady income for her family.
With encouragement from the group and support from Prayatn Sanstha, Geeta took her first step. She borrowed ₹3,500 from the group’s savings and bought basic items. The shop was small some daily essentials, biscuits and snacks but for Geeta, it meant hope. Each sale increased her confidence.
With support from the Self-Help Group under the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana – National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY–NRLM) and facilitation by the Group Sakhi, she completed the loan process and accessed a ₹25,000 bank-linked loan to expand her shop. Slowly, villagers began depending on her shop for daily needs.
Today, Geeta earns around ₹200–250 per day. She has restarted regular savings in her Self-Help Group. Her children continue their education without interruption. Clothes are bought on time and medicines no longer require borrowing. She has also learned to accept digital payments making her shop more accessible and reflecting her growing confidence.
The biggest change however, is in Geeta herself. She now speaks with confidence and motivates other women to move forward.
