From Homemakers to Hopeful Entrepreneurs
Powering Women’s Journeys In Rural Maharashtra
From Homemakers to Hopeful Entrepreneurs
Powering Women’s Journeys In Rural Maharashtra
Written By Shikha Sharma
Ujwala Gaekwad, 29, was 17 when she was married off to a violent alcoholic. The beatings began a few months later. “Tu gobar uthane aur bartan dhone ke layak hai (You can only clean dirty utensils, and pick cow dung),” her husband would shout, as he subjected her to merciless beatings night after night.
At times, when a certain mood gripped him, he would lock her up inside their decrepit hut in the village, withholding food and water for days. “It was like he was punishing me, but I didn’t know what I had done to deserve such treatment,” Ujwala says.
This continued for years until one day, the beatings escalated to such a violent extent that news reached her father, warning him that she might die if not rescued.
With nothing but the clothes on her back, Ujwala eventually returned to her father’s house in Chande Khurd, a village 15 km from Karjat, Maharashtra in 2015. There, she and her 5 year old son took shelter in a makeshift goat shed near her father’s house. For three years, she didn’t step outside.
Physically and emotionally scarred by her husband’s abuse, she became quiet, withdrawn and perpetually fearful. “I had no connection with the village. I didn’t talk to anyone, or go anywhere. I had no money, no education. Aankh utha ke baat nai kar pati thi,” she says, recalling that time.
In 2020, on the insistence of her brother’s wife, Ujwala joined a Self-Help Group (SHG) initiated by WOTR, as part of the ‘Promoting Entrepreneurship, Employment Opportunities, and Increased Incomes in Maharashtra’ programme, supported by HSBC. The programme, executed in 20 villages in the Shrigonda and Karjat blocks of Ahmednagar district from 2020-2023 aimed to support aspiring rural women micro-entrepreneurs to start and manage their enterprises in order to make them self-sufficient.
When she joined the group though, entrepreneurship and running a business were far from Ujwala's thoughts; her immediate concern was securing the next square meal. She didn’t realise these were her first tentative steps towards financial empowerment.
A reserved attendee at most gatherings, the SHG proved invaluable as it linked her with crucial information. Within a few months, she obtained her own identification, acquired a bank account and became aware of various government schemes. Long estranged from the community, she began reconnecting with it once again. In 2021, with the SHG’s backing, she secured a loan of Rs. 40,000 from the bank and used the money to move from the goat shed to her own one room tin house.
Determined to eliminate reliance on male family members, she secured an additional loan in 2022 and bought a scooty. Around this time, she began attending tailoring workshops as part of the skill development training organised by the programme and started stitching blouses and sarees for her neighbours.
In 2023, leveraging Rs. 15,000 of her personal savings and acquiring another Rs. 15,000 as seed capital through the same programme, she finally decided to start a sari shop from her house.“There are no sari shops in Chande Khurd, and women have to travel 15 kilometres to Karjat to shop. With my shop, they won’t need to,” she says.
It’s still early days for the venture, but if the steady stream of women in her house is any indicator, the shop’s prospects look promising. Already, her income has risen from Rs. 3,000 per month to Rs. 7,000. With this money, she has not only been able to invest in herself and her home, but also has enrolled her son in an English medium school in Karjat.
More importantly, she no longer needs to rely on anyone for support.
“When there was no money, nobody, not even relatives, cared whether I lived or died. Now, they remember me, call me. To be honest, (when there was no money), even I didn't think I was worth something. Paisa bohat zaroori hai. Har aurat ke paas khud ka hona chahiye, aur apne haq ka hona chahiye (Money is very important. Every woman should have money that is rightfully hers),” she says, in a quiet, resolute voice.
Though the feeling of dread still persists, especially when she’s doing something new, she says, a newfound confidence stemming from her own ability to handle things, is also steadily taking root.
This shift in confidence isn't just Ujawala’s experience—it's shared by the 1,700 women across the 20 villages in Karjat and Shrigonda where the HSBC programme ran. The training and financial support the women received through the programme served as a catalyst, empowering them to escape the cycle of deprivation, subvert traditional gender norms and realise their entrepreneurial aspirations. Ultimately, these efforts not only changed the women's lives but also positively impacted their families and communities.
Her family wants her to get remarried, but she is determined to chart her own path. “Shaadi karke kya mil gaya? Doosra bhi pehle jaisa nikla toh? Ab bas apna kamana hai, aur khana hai (What did marriage get me? What if the second one turns out like the first? Now, I want to just earn my own living),” she adds.
Navigating Resistance
In many parts of rural India, when a married woman dreams of becoming something beyond the default role of a homemaker that is assigned to her, the greatest opposition often comes from her own family who discourage her and place severe restrictions on her mobility. Patriarchal norms and social stigma make things worse.
A similar situation existed in the villages in Maharashtra where HSBC's ‘Promoting Entrepreneurship, Employment Opportunities, and Increased Incomes in Maharashtra’ programme was launched. Farming and related enterprises are the primary sources of livelihood in this region, but with continuously diminishing outputs and declining farm sizes, it has become urgent for residents to diversify their income sources.
Before programme implementation, women were confined to either household duties, or engaged as manual labourers in fields, construction sites, or brick kilns, earning meagre wages of Rs. 200-300 per day. Like Ujwala, most possessed no identification and had never stepped inside a bank.
With their economic situation precarious at best, they were burdened with debt, and forced to take high-interest loans from moneylenders. They had little to no savings. “In the beginning, we didn’t have bank accounts. Roz jaana padta tha mazdoori pe. Jis din nai gaye, us din kuch nai milta tha raat mein khane ko (We had to go for manual labour everyday. The day we won’t go, there will be no food in the house at night),” says Surekha Chauhan, from Belwandi Kothar village. Having lost her husband a few years ago, Surekha used to work in a brick kiln to support herself and her 3 children.
Inside homes, women had no agency or voice. “Whatever the husband or saas-sasur (in-laws) said, that was how things were. For every little thing, I had to ask them for money. If they said no, it was a no. If I protested, I would be beaten up,” says Sujata Vilas Godke from Mahandulwadi village.
To implement the programme, it was essential to form Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in these villages to bring women together, but most womens’ families were opposed to the idea. “Why do you need to go? What can they teach you? My saas (mother-in-law) would ask. She thought that if I learnt new things, I might get too independent, and refuse to work inside the house,” says Sujata.
Driven by a desperate need to have their own savings, some women decided to join, despite family reservations. Many, like Sujata, endured beatings at home. Others like Kaveri Deokar snuck away to attend meetings, hiding their participation from their families.“Those times were funny. I remember my husband would stalk my movements outside the house to ensure I was not joining one of the meetings,” Deokar says.
Breaking Barriers, Building Dreams
“To get women to become a part of an SHG, there were two challenges - first, to make the women understand the role of SHGs, and then to make their families understand it. Because, unlike men, in the case of women, it is not just enough that she wants to do something. The family’s, especially the husband’s and mother-in-law’s permission is essential to move anything forward,” says Preetilata Gaikwad, Manager - Women Empowerment, WOTR.
“For the same, we tried explaining to the families that if she joins the SHG or saves money through it, that money will only help the family. Some understood, many didn’t. It took a whole year for us to form SHGs and get women on board in these 20 villages, ” she adds. Nearly 100 plus SHGs were formed, in preparation for programme implementation.
Next, a simple question was raised at these SHG meetings.“What if the money that belongs to the village stays in the village?”. The idea behind raising the question was to encourage women to think about where they buy their products from and to eventually prod them to start their own enterprises to cater to local market needs.
While most women were sceptical, a few women decided to step up. “All my life, I had wanted to do something, be something. So, when I was told about the opportunity that I could start something, I was very excited,” Sadhana Waghamare, from Adsunde, says.
“I thought, my parents worked all their life as manual labourers to educate me. Now, if I don’t do anything when an opportunity exists, what good was their toil for?,” says Shaila Santosh Khere, 38, from Mandavgan.
To get women started on their journey, three things were done. First, a livelihood mapping exercise was done in each village to help them understand the opportunities that existed in their village. They were encouraged to think about enterprises they would like to set up.
The next stage involved giving shape to their ideas, by providing them the necessary training. For the same, an orientation training was conducted where women were briefed about the basics of entrepreneurship, business management and digital financial literacy. This was followed by dividing women based on the skills they were interested in learning, and providing them training in their respective area of interest. Through confidence building, exposure visits, access to various technical and experiential training programmes, the women received clarity on the way forward.
Lastly, they were provided 50 percent seed capital to get started on their micro-enterprises. Over the course of the programme execution, nearly 1,200 women decided to start their small businesses using the seed capital. While a majority decided to start micro-enterprises related to agriculture and livestock, some decided to invest in non-agricultural enterprises, like general stores, tailoring shops, beauty parlours, oil mills, and spice processing. Some formed groups and initiated collective enterprises aimed at manufacturing and selling agarbattis, papads, paper plates, and other products.
Main Swayamsiddha
As these micro-enterprises started, they brought about significant changes in the lives of the women, giving them independence, financial stability, and a sense of empowerment within their communities.
An almost immediate effect was the boost in family income. “Ab zyaada vyavsay aur kam mazdoori karte hain (Now, we do more business, and less labour work),” says Surekha, who started a grocery shop, with the seed capital in 2021. Within months, her monthly income increased from a couple of thousands to Rs. 9,000-12,000.
Like Surekha, most women interviewed said the programme not only helped them dodge loan sharks and break debt cycles, but also played an important role in improving household budgeting, providing them a safety net during emergencies.
“I don’t need to work in the sun everyday, nor do I need to constantly worry about how to make ends meet,” says Jaishree Torde, from Kamthi. With the seed capital, she purchased two cows in 2020, and this gives her Rs. 5,000-6,000 every fortnight.
As family incomes improved, resistance from families also lessened in many instances. The women gained status in their homes and communities, leading to more active participation in household decision-making.
“Now, I don’t need to ask for money from anyone. In fact, they ask me for money now. Ghar se bhi izzat milti hai (people respect me at home as well). Now, no one stops me from attending the meetings,” says Sujata, who used the seed grant to purchase two cows in 2020. In three years, the daily income from milk production has helped her build a cowshed, as well as provide for the educational needs of her children.
Interacting with people beyond their immediate families, women gained the opportunity to evaluate, form opinions, and make decisions independently. This newfound autonomy was further bolstered by their participation in extensive trainings, which helped refine their business skills, resulting in increased confidence in their abilities and a stronger sense of self-worth. The 10 square foot general store that Sadhana has started using the seed grant, isn’t just a brick and mortar store, she says. “It is proof that I am swayamsiddha. That, as long as I am alive and able, I can take care of my family,” she says.
“I used to earn money before also, but now I look at myself as a businesswoman. I’m thinking about earning, but I’m also thinking about saving and investing,” says 29 year old Manisha Rama Kakde, from Kamthi, who started a goat rearing enterprise, and has seen her income rise from Rs. 6,000 a month to Rs. 30,000.
Over time, many were able to fulfil long held aspirations. For example, with a grant of Rs. 12,000, Varsha realised her passion of becoming a baker. "I wanted to do this for years, but was always improvising at home,” she explains. "With the grant, and contribution from home, I finally purchased some equipment and a deep freezer to prevent spoilage during power cuts," she adds.
Her bakery, Shravan Cake Shop, named after her 5-year-old son, has not only allowed her to pursue her passion but has also brought her recognition. “Gaon mein pehchaan hai meri ab (People know me in the village now),” she says.
With a seed grant of Rs. 15,000, and an equal contribution through her savings, 59 year old Jijabai Sonawana finally built her own home. “With the money, I purchased a cow. The daily savings earned from milk production helped me expand the size of my herd to five cows and one buffalo. Ek tokre mein samaan leke aayi this is gaon mein. Aaj sab bana liya. Kehne ke liye poore gaon mein kisi ke paas itni jagah nahin hai (I had come to this village with one basket. Today, I have made everything. No one has this much space to stay in the village as my family does),” she says, beaming with pride. She is also the primary breadwinner of her household now.
Small Enterprises Fuel Big Dreams
When a woman establishes an enterprise in rural India, it indicates many things. An enterprise may have been started to supplement family income, but beyond personal empowerment, witnessing a woman manage a small kirana shop or operate a home-based sari business has a ripple effect across the community. It challenges entrenched norms of patriarchy and disrupts traditional societal expectations.
Ultimately, as women thrive, it is the families and communities that once opposed their autonomy that benefit the most, since women prioritise not only their own success but also the well-being of family and community around them.
For example, the majority of women who participated in the ‘Promoting Entrepreneurship, Employment Opportunities, and Increased Incomes in Maharashtra’ programme, have used the income generated to first secure their family’s future. Most invested it in building, rebuilding or renovating homes for their families to be able to live more comfortably. “Ghar mein gate nai tha, plaster nai tha, jab dukaan kholi, usse hi ye sab kia (The house had no gate, no plaster. When I opened this shop, then only I did this),” says Surekha.
A large majority are also funding their children’s higher education with the incomes earned. In a society where daughters are often viewed as liabilities and married off prematurely, many women are leveraging their financial independence to deter early marriages for their daughters, prioritising their education instead.
“When my daughter turned 15, my husband and mother-in-law wanted to get her married. But I was clear - jo mere saath hua hai, meri beti ke saath nai hoga (what happened to me, will not happen to my daughter). I don’t want family pressure to influence her in any way, so I sent her to Shrigonda, where she stayed in a room and focused on her education,” says Shaila, who used the seed capital to start her goat rearing initiative.
“I told my daughter, if you want to study, I will fund your education. And if you do like somebody, I will make sure you get to marry the man of your choice,” says Sujata.
Some are saving the profits for their children’s marriages. Most have opened bank accounts and fixed deposits in their names. Many are keen to give back to the community. “I want to open a school in the village to teach girls how to bake. It is a lot of fun, but not many women here know how to do it,” Varsha says.
“There is no public toilet for women in this village. Once I repay loans that I took out for my shop, I want to donate some amount of my profit to the village council to construct a public toilet for women,” Sadhana says.
In the three years, a lot of barriers have been broken, but the women believe there is much more to accomplish.
“Ghar mein baithi rehti toh kuch nai kar paati. (If I remained confined to my home, I would not have achieved anything.) I have big dreams. I want to be a successful businesswoman, who my children look up to. This is only the beginning,” Sadhana adds.
The journey from being homemakers to hopeful entrepreneurs has been rewarding, and it appears these women are just getting started.
Watch how women of Karjat and Shrigonda, Maharashtra are breaking the barriers of patriarchal and societal norms, emerging as successful entrepreneurs!
CREDITS
Story: Shikha Sharma
Photographs for the Story: Shikha Sharma and WOTR
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