North Eastern Region Community Resource Management Project (NERCORMP) has been extremely successful in empowering women of northeast India and several success stories of uplifting the living standard of women bear witness to it. One such story is of Yobina Lyngdoh Marshyllong, a resident of Jakhong Village, West Khasi Hills, Meghalaya. Coming from a very remote area, she lacked confidence in marketing her agricultural products due to which, her dream of becoming a successful entrepreneur seemed distant. However, in 2001 the Government of India intervened through NERCORMP, a livelihood initiative of North Eastern Region Community Resource Management Society (NERCRMS) and came to her village.

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Under NERCORMP, Yobina became the member of Self Help Group (SHG) i.e. 'KA BUIT KA LONG KA BOR' (Knowledge is Strength). The SHG was formed in April, 2002 and soon she became the Chairman of the group due to her leadership qualities and managerial skills. The Ministry of Development of North-East Region says that NERCORMP has been beneficial to the entire village. In order to address the issues of open defecation, the entry point initiative launched under the project was to establish affordable toilet facilities. The initiative was well received by the villagers and accordingly they learned about cleanliness and hygiene. Another initiative supported by the project was the Revolving Fund to the SHGs. Initially, the SHG received a total fund support of Rs 1 lakh. Yobina took a loan of Rs 14,000 from the SHG revolving fund and established a grocery shop within the village. Through the capacity-building support received under the project, she sharpened her entrepreneurial skills and further expanded the business.

Yobina Lyngdoh Marshyllong successfully opened two grocery shops in the village. (Representational Image) | Unsplash

Gradually, she opened another grocery shop in the village itself. After successfully opening two grocery shops in the village, she also ventured in selling her products to urban centers like Mairang and Shillong. This resulted in transforming her into a successful entrepreneur. Yobina, along with other members of the SHG, sells her goods in Mairang and Shillong. Since the group is directly selling their products at the urban centres, they now earn Rs 10,000 to Rs 15,000 per day! She also encouraged others and formed new SHGs. There are now nearly 70 members. Yobina has expressed her sincere gratitude to NERCRMS, NEC, GoI for helping the villagers of a small village in realizing a new meaning of Atma Nirbharta (self-reliance). (IANS/SP)

(Keywords: northeast, women, entrepreneur, grocery, India, village, shop, successful, agricultural, products, project, government.)