Fr Mendes: migrant tribal women become businesswomen
Self-support groups have turned tribal women into entrepreneurs. The sale of gourmet products generated 2.5 million rupees in 2019. The businesswomen trained in marketing, hygiene standards, packaging and labelling. The goal now it to create new production centres.
Raigad (AsiaNews) – After working as farm labourers, then in the brick kilns, some 40 tribal women in Raigad district (Maharashtra) became their own bosses thanks to the help of the Centre for Social Action (CSA) of the Archdiocese of Mumbai. On the eve of 8 March, International Women's Day, AsiaNews publishes the testimony of CSA director Fr Mario Mendes.
The CSA launched a Livelihood Programme, a year and half ago, to help transform the lives of some tribal women in Raigad district of Maharashtra by turning women from Self Help Groups (SHGs) into entrepreneurs. These were trained to produce a variety of healthy snacks. An independent sales and marketing wing was set up to sell these tribal products in parishes, schools and businesses in Mumbai and Navi Mumbai.
Sales from January to December 2019 exceeded 2,500,000 rupees. About 80% of this amount was placed directly into the bank accounts of each SHG through NEFT payment as soon as the products were made. In turn, the tribal women distributed the profits amongst themselves. About 20% of the amount was used for transportation and other logistics for the sales. CSA does not take any amount from the sales of these products.
The seeds of this initiative were sown a couple of years ago at an annual evaluation of CSA’s work with the Kathkari tribal people in Raigad. These tribals are mostly landless and usually work as agricultural labourers during the monsoon. After the agricultural season they migrate with their entire family to nearby brick kilns or construction sites as they don’t have any other source of livelihood. The CSA team realised that this economic migration was preventing the tribals from developing any roots and most importantly their children were not getting any education as the parents were constantly on the move.
To prevent this seasonal migration, it was decided to pilot a project to ensure that tribal women were provided with a sustainable livelihood, year-round. Four social work production centres run by dedicated and enterprising religious sisters – Jan Vikas Kendra, Khopoli; Prerana Charitable Trust, Rees; Asha Kiran, Paned and Amardeep Charitable Trust, Mangaon – were chosen as training and production centres.
Some 40 tribal women who agreed to be trained were formed into four separate SHGs. After training and induction, separate bank accounts were opened for each SHG, to be operated by the SHG members themselves.
Then followed months of training to make traditional foods like laddos, papads, chaklis, chutneys, pickles, malted nachni flour and other healthy food items, all from locally sourced materials and under strict hygienic conditions.
Many of these tribal women had never cooked on gas at all, but they were all equal to the task and quick learners. Once the initial training was over, test batches of products were made and sold in a few places to test consumer reactions. The feedback was always positive and encouraging.
Since all SHGs are located at a considerable distance from Mumbai, the dire need was for a sales and marketing wing to bring the freshly produced products to Mumbai and then sell them at the earliest. An independent marketing organisation, the Nav Jeevan Enterprises (NJE), set up by Pauline Serrao, came to the rescue by offering to handle all logistics and sales. The arrangement was that 80% of the MRP value is paid to the SHGs; this ensured that the NJE does not function a middleman. The NJE would pick up all products from the production centres and within 72 hours ensure payment to the tribals by NEFT, no cash payments at all.
Another important aspect was maintaining a high standard of hygiene. The CSA organised multiple training sessions, displayed charts of Hygiene Do’s and Don’ts, and taught the tribals to use gloves, face-masks and head caps during food production.
The women also learnt to maintain proper production records. Further, the various venues of food production (in the social work production centres run by the religious sisters) were assisted in obtaining their FSSAI registration. Labels for the products were designed and printed. Each of the SHGs were provided packaging equipment and trained to package the products. All this was done and continues under strict supervision by CSA staff.
One of the SHGs, Ram Samarth Mahila Bachat Gat Paned, was recognised by the Khalapur Block Development Officer as one of the most enterprising SHGs and has been awarded 50,000 rupees to develop their business.
Of course, challenges have been plentiful but the team has weathered many a storm and is determined to continue with great zeal so that many more SHGs are set up and many more tribal women and their families benefit in the long run.
We learnt that parish sales go up exponentially when the local community is involved. In order to sustain this effort, it is necessary to hold simultaneous weekend sales in at least three parishes each weekend’.
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19/08/2004
