Success Story of Vanishree

Vanishree (42) w/o Venkat Rao is a member of Godhavari SHG under ORBIT at Shahapur gate in Bidar Taluk. Today her family is seen as quite healthy socio-economically. It was not the same story a few years back when she remained as a house wife who depended on the sole income of her husband who earned just Rs. 8,000/- working in a textile shop.

Venkat was educated up to SSLC and he could not find a better salaried job. She struggled with her husband to meet the ends of their lives with his meager income. They have 3 daughters. Their educational expenses, clothing, health care, family expenses…. the list of expenses to be met grew day by day, not the income. Vani felt dejected and discouraged. Her greatest dream was to provide the best education for her daughters. She wished ardently if she could get some kind of job which can be done at home after her household works that could generate some income to support the family.

It was then she heard that a new SHG is being formed in their neighbourhood and she learned how it could support women socially and financially. She too became member of the newly formed Godhavari SHG and began saving Rs. 30/- per week. She participated in the trainings given by ORBIT through the SHG. Gradually, she learned tailoring and took loan from the SHG and bought a sewing machine. She was self-employed. She worked hard engaging in fancy work for sarees, besides tailoring. She got many customers.

As her daughters were entering higher education and educational expenses increased, she decided to start a petty shop along with the tailoring so that the income could be improved. Finance to invest in shop was the problem again. She learned about the Micro Enterprise Training for women under Samrudhi Project and participated in it. Thereafter she obtained loan for self-employment and began a small store. She was punctual in repayment and got another loan from Samrudhi in 2018 to develop the shop. Adding to it her own savings and internal loan from the SHG, she runs a general store at home and earns around Rs. 400/- per day from the shop and tailoring. She repays the loan installments from the profit.

Presently, her eldest and second daughters are pursuing degree and the youngest daughter is studying in PUC –silver lines of her dream.

Vanishree proudly acknowledges the contribution of ORBIT in brightening her life and gaining confidence not only to be an entrepreneur but also to achieve her dreams. Her husband supports her ventures whole heartedly. He too gave up his job and began a textile shop of his own and together they work, earning their livelihood.