Micro-Entrepreneurship @ Warsi Nagar, Dewas

Chand Bi is a 48-year-old resident of Warsi Nagar, Dewas. Her late husband used to work as a labourer and struggled to meet the expenses of their six-member family. Her story reflects resilience and determination in the face of challenges. Despite societal restrictions and financial difficulties, she took the initiative to learn new skills and improve her situation by joining the tailoring course and adult education programme of SNSF.

In 2004, SNSF started forming women Self Help Groups (SHG). Chand Bi showed interest and gathered other women and formed Pakeezah Self Help Group. Then she was unanimously elected as the President of the group.  Chand Bi initially started a grocery shop by taking a loan of ₹ 25K from the group and started sharing financial responsibility of the household with her husband.

Just when the family’s economic condition was settling, her husband’s health deteriorated. During the pandemic, her grocery shop was closed and her husband also passed away. Chand Bi didn’t lose hope and post–pandemic she again took ₹50K loan from SHG, reopened the grocery shop and also started teaching Urdu-Arabic to the children of her community. With her earnings she managed her family and helped children to continue their education. Now she has constructed her own house, two of her children are married and her sons are doing videography business successfully. Now Chand Bi’s family monthly income has increased from ₹ 5K to ₹ 23K (360%).

Today, Chand Bi is one of the most successful women of Warsi Nagar and her opinion is appreciated and accepted in the society. Chand Bi says that SNSF and SHG have contributed significantly to the position she has reached today.