The turning point came when she joined a Self Help Group (SHG) Renuka faced immense hardship after marrying at seventeen, compounded by an unsupportive family environment. Determined to create a better future for her daughters.
This SHG collective offered her a lifeline, an opportunity to cultivate independence. Renting farmland to grow cotton was her first step, followed by purchasing buffaloes to sell milk.
CMRC president Renuka Sepate
Tenacious entrepreneurship
Through sheer determination Renuka transformed from a shy young girl into a successful entrepreneur, eventually owning eight acres of land and her own house. Despite widowhood occurring in her early thirties, Renuka ensured her daughters married well without dowries. Her eldest is now a lawyer, her youngest earned a Master’s degree.
Renuka’s resilience and business acumen inspired many in her SHG, leading to her election as the president of her block’s community managed resource center (CMRC).
Renuka exemplifies the profound impact possible when women access supportive networks like SHGs and CMRCs. Her story, mirrored across Maharashtra, showcases the journey from vulnerability to vibrant self-reliance, fueled by determination and community support.
Our partnership with Mahila Arthik Vikas Mahamandal
Renuka has had a transformative experience from joining her local SHG. Her SHG, three hours from the city of Nagpur, is facilitated by Government of Maharashtra’s MAVIM (Mahila Arthik Vikas Mahamandal), a nodal agency for women’s empowerment.
Women on Wings partners with MAVIM to co-create sustainable livelihoods and access to markets for women in rural Maharashtra.
MAVIM is present in 34 districts in Maharashtra and around 10,000 villages, supporting two million women through 160,000 Self Help Groups (SHGs). SHG participants are facilitated through self-sustaining community managed resource centers (CMRCs) which are located at block level, a level smaller than a district but larger than a single village.
Follow Women on Wings social media to hear more stories about consulting and collaboration with Indian state government institutions to co-create opportunities for jobs for women in rural India:
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/women-on-wings
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/womenonwings1/
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/womenonwings
