Pooja, armed with a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and a background in finance, made a courageous decision: to leave her established career and familiar hometown behind. Family reasons called her to a rural village south of Dehradun, a place vastly different from the life she knew. Initially, the rhythm of rural existence was unfamiliar, yet Pooja, ever observant, quickly recognized the unspoken needs within the community. She began by sharing her financial expertise with a local women’s Self-Help Group (SHG), planting the first seeds of change.
Her dedication didn’t stop there; she also extended a helping hand to local women farmers, guiding them toward improved yields by meticulously sourcing high-quality wheat seeds through the nearby Safalata Cluster Level Federation (CLF).
Pooja shares her journey with Women on Wings Project Manager Zeenita Patra
Joining the Safalata CLF
As time went on, Pooja’s connection to the community deepened. She officially joined the ranks of the 750 women-led Safalata CLF, a step that not only strengthened her community ties but also ignited a profound sense of fulfillment as she witnessed the empowerment of local women. The CLF, recognizing the spark of potential within the 26-year-old Pooja, made a pivotal decision: they hired her. Her new role was to help supply products like processed spices to the burgeoning House of Himalayas, with ambitious plans to expand their team further.
The spice processing unit
A new chapter began in October 2024, as Pooja and the resilient women of her CLF embarked on a transformative journey: a spice processing enterprise. This venture was not born in isolation; it blossomed with invaluable support from various Uttarakhand Department of Rural Development initiatives (USRLM, RBI, UGVS, REAP).
These initiatives provided the crucial scaffolding for their dreams, offering assistance with formalizing businesses, navigating the complexities of tax registration, mastering the art of packaging, securing online listings, crafting a compelling brand identity, establishing a dedicated office space, and setting up a fully equipped processing center.
With this comprehensive support, the CLF collectively acquired a pulverizer and essential cleaning/grading equipment. They meticulously set up an integrated processing, packaging, and retail storefront, strategically located in an easily accessible village, ensuring their efforts could reach every corner of the community.
Pooja and members of her unit discussing pricing calculations with Women on Wings Financial Manager Jose Vergeer
Impact and future vision
Today, the CLF stands as a testament to their dedication, grinding naturally farmed spices like fiery chilies, fragrant coriander seeds, and golden turmeric into high-quality powders, all meticulously packaged in-house. While their sales currently thrive on-site, they anticipate joining the prestigious House of Himalayas supply chain, a gateway to global market entry.
Pooja’s unit, a beacon of progress, sources raw spices from 150 local women who embrace natural farming practices. These women, in turn, reap the benefits of fair prices and significantly increased incomes, a powerful antidote to the pull of migration.
The growth of the House of Himalayas brand promises a ripple effect, directly increasing procurement from these dedicated women farmers and ushering in an era of enhanced incomes. Looking ahead, Pooja’s unit envisions an even broader impact, planning to include an additional 150 women farmers in its supply chain and actively involving them in sales and marketing as their reach expands.
Pooja’s unit is not an anomaly; it is one of many enterprises born from the spirit of the CLF, all united by a common purpose: to procure raw materials from local farmers and forge vital market linkages for their meticulously processed goods, nurturing a cycle of prosperity and empowerment.
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