Author: Samhita - CGF

Meet Ritu-ben, a nano entrepreneur and mother of two, who has not allowed the harsh effects of the pandemic deter her optimistic spirit and perseverance

30-year old Ritu-ben lives on the outskirts of Ahmedabad with her husband, mother-in-law and two mischievous sons. She studied only till class 5, after which she had to help her mother with domestic duties. Marrying young, she said, taught her many things that she couldn’t have learnt in school. In addition to being a supportive wife and a proud mother, Ritu-ben is also an entrepreneur.

“Three years ago, my friend took me to a bazaar where they sold all types of colourful sarees. I began to meet the weavers, sellers and traders to learn about the business. Shortly thereafter, I decided to set up my own business from home,” said Ritu-ben. She profits ₹30-50 from a saree sale.

Ritu-ben’s husband, Viren-bhai, is a street vendor. He sells fruits and vegetables that earn their family ₹200-300 per day. “My husband’s income is the main source to meet all our expenses — food and children’s education,” said Ritu-ben.

When COVID-19 swept across the country, Viren-bhai’s daily earnings were reduced by half. And Ritu-ben’s saree business? “That only gets us ₹300-400 every ten days in a good month. Right now, sales are near zero,” she revealed. Pandemics, after all, have never had any mercy.

During the lockdown, Ritu-ben and her husband received a tempo from SEWA (Self-employed women’s association) to help them transport their fruits and vegetables around town to sell them. The three-wheeled automobile was a boon for their family in a time of limited mobility. “For the two months that we had the tempo, we would go far and wide to ensure our products were sold. It was really life-changing for us,” said Ritu-ben.

For the couple, the biggest household expenditures are their children’s education and healthcare expenses. In the past year, both of these have gone up for the family. Because the children now study through Viren-bhai’s smartphone, they have to spend a lot more money to recharge and upgrade their data plan. Her mother-in-law has also been unwell, warranting unexpected doctor visits and medical bills.

Due to rising household expenses and falling income, Ritu-ben decided to participate in Samhita’s finance facility REVIVE, supported by Brihati Foundation (CSR Foundation of Claris Group). She learnt about REVIVE’s zero-interest, no-collateral returnable grant from her advisor at SEWA. She received ₹10,000, which she said would be spent entirely on buying good quality fruits and vegetables. And maybe a few sarees, she added, giggling. “I’ve never felt the need to take a loan before because our financial health has never been so bad. However, if I can pay back this loan on time, I might consider taking another one in the future to grow my business,” said Ritu-ben.

Despite their precarious financial situation, Ritu-ben exudes unwavering optimism and cheery ambition. Once the circumstances are normal and safety concerns around the virus are mitigated, she wants to move her saree business out of her house and into a store in the market where more customers will be able to visit her. “I have a few ideas on what I will do with my saree store. Most importantly, I want to send both my sons to college. I will work hard to make sure I can do both,” said Ritu-ben.

This story was edited by Raveena Joseph

Bilal, a Sozni artisan and entrepreneur with disability from Jammu and Kashmir, is driven to face the many challenges that lie in his path and works to emerge stronger from any adversity

Bilal Ahmed Bhat, 39, is a man of grit and resilience. When his father, a Sozni embroidery businessman, retired after 40 years owing to health issues, Bilal took on the bread-winning responsibilities of the family. He worked for a local entrepreneur for a while, but soon decided he wanted to be his own boss. So he started his own business, and also, with enterprising spirit, obtained a Master’s degree simultaneously. Bilal’s business specialises in Sozni embroidery, a craft he learnt from his father and a style of embroidery originating in Jammu and Kashmir, his home state. From his workshop in Badgam, Bilal makes shawls and garments to be sold throughout India (via wholesale B2B channels) and within his community (via B2C channels).

The success of his business benefits 35 artisans in the region, 5 of whom are disabled. Bilal himself has an orthopedic disability in his lower limbs, but he doesn’t let anything stop him. He said, “I treat everyone equally. Sometimes, disabled people think of themselves as weak, but I think of everyone as equals.”

Bilal’s business, and the community it served, were significantly affected when COVID-19 reached Indian shores. The lockdowns, curfews and fear of infection significantly affected mobility, and also disrupted National supply chains. During the first wave in 2020, Bilal’s shawl sales reduced drastically, to when he left the home or when someone came over to purchase some. This is when he became part of ATPAR (www.atpar.in), an organisation that provides support to entrepreneurs with disabilities, and joined their Entrepreneurship Development Training Program (EDP). He also became a member of  NEDAR, a Network of Entrepreneurs with Disabilities, initiated by ATPAR, which provided business counselling, mentoring, market linkages and support through training in financial management, and sales and marketing. Bilal availed all the skilling services given by EDP and was also introduced to REVIVE for financial support. 

The second wave, however, was extremely disruptive. In April 2021, Bilal did not have sufficient funds to pay artisan wages or purchase raw materials. “In Kashmir, the whole year has been bad for business due to lockdowns, internet disruptions, etc. How can we afford to take loans from banks and pay 12% interest rates?”

Bilal’s resilience, hard work and commitment to his community made him a perfect beneficiary for the no-interest, zero-collateral returnable grant offered by REVIVE. He was supported with INR 40,000 (USD 538) in April 2021 in the form of a returnable grant — i.e., there is no legal obligation, only a moral one, as the money returned will circle back to benefit another beneficiary under the REVIVE program. “I wish this type of support is always available — I’ve never seen it anywhere else,” said Bilal.

An astute businessman, Bilal is planning the grant funds carefully and being mindful of market uncertainty due to COVID-19. He has thus used the funds to pay his artisans a basic wage and also purchase raw materials to keep the business thriving. He is also considering innovative means to attract new customers — his most recent business idea is to showcase his work on online marketplaces such as Facebook and Instamojo. “Life is about facing challenges,” said Bilal, “We can’t grow without them.”

This story was edited by Raveena Joseph