Khinamaya Sharma’s labor was modest, supporting household duties and her husband on their agricultural land that produces paddy and mustard in Assam’s Baksa District. She also earned about ₹6,000 (60 euro) per month for three months out of the year by supplying raw arecanut leaves to Women on Wings social enterprise partner Tamul Marketing Pvt Ltd. Tamul makes compostable tableware from areca plants.
But in 2022, Tamul invited her to learn how to produce their compostable tableware and manage packaging. While she admits she was nervous at first, she soon opened up to the new opportunity. Working throughout the year was a big step.
By saying yes to Tamul’s invitation, the grade 10 graduate gained skills in creating Tamul’s product, bookkeeping, packaging and managing a supply chain across three villages
Today, Khinamaya (age 30) is the respected President of a five-member joint liability group, Siddheshwari Dhakua Udyog, that makes approximately 20,000 plates a month for Tamul. Her shift from household duties and non-consistent work to leading this group resulted in a substantial increase in her annual income earning her ₹12,000 every month of the year.
A look at empowerment and investment
When her group formed a plate-making unit, they secured a loan of about ₹5 Lakhs (4,700 euro) for a plate-making machine. The machine was installed in her home, where she oversees production. While she would love a subsidy, those were only available for individual entrepreneurs.
But she is very happy to work in a group and is a support for other women managing ledgers, assisting with logbooks and even providing monetary help when needed. She says with her work, managing her own earnings and her leadership role she has met more people, made more friends and feels more confident.
Women on Wings Senior Business Consultant Chanakya Mehta interviewing Khinamaya Sharma
Hope for a solid future
During her interview she graciously shared that the job created other immediate, tangible impacts. She is able to cover the tuition for her children Lachhime, age 12 (a budding football player) and Riyan, age 6 (who dreams of the Indian army) receive a better education.
Her home-based unit allows for greater family time and stability. Her husband, Dinesh, of 13 years, who she met in school. who also supplies plates to Tamul. Her work ensures their children see their parents as unified economic partners and they are near the home..
And now, Khinamaya drives her family’s dream of building a Pucca (solid) home, a significant upgrade from their current kutcha (mud) house. These are the dreams of many women in rural India that we meet.
Tamul markets compostable tableware using agricultural waste
The collaborative blueprint for sustainable livelihoods
Tamul champions a “production by masses” philosophy. Not only running manufacturing at their factory in Nalbari district but decentralizing it to rural home-based micro-enterprises like Khinamaya’s group, integrating their production into its wider network.
This business model upcycles agricultural waste to displace single-use plastics and it creates equality: 70-80% of jobs with Tamul are held by women. This significantly increases rural household income and creates financial independence and possibilities that fit in with household management.
Since 2015, Women on Wings has provided Tamul with collaborative strategic support focused on scalability, strategy & planning targets, operations & quality control, market expansion (including an export strategy for Europe) and refining their organizational structure. To date, this partnership has helped Tamul grow the employment of women by 400%.
Our work with Tamul is an investment in women like Khinamaya Sharma and a durable, hopeful model for rural livelihoods in Northeast India.
