Earlier women were known for being homemakers and cooking food in kitchens and lately there has been a massive shift breaking the norms. This has happened due to their skills outside their homes and they are using their entrepreneurial skills to take dominant and considerable strides in different fields for achieving economic, social and political empowerment. Resultantly, they continue to create new grounds for themselves in the society. 

And here is a laudable and inspiring story of a SHG group known as “Maa Laxmi” under Santirbazar Municipal Council area emerging as a foodpreneurs by operating a canteen in the premises of Santirbazar Sub-Divisional Administration office.

Shipra Majumdar (Das), the group leader of the Self Help Group is the woman who took the initiative to open a canteen with an aim to make the members self-reliant.  “The aim of this canteen is to inspire other women of the same area for entrepreneurship on the lines of self-reliant Tripura” said Anindita Bhowmik, Livelihoods Mission Coordinator of Santirbazar Municipal Council.

The SHG was established in the year of 2019 with strength of 10 members and has been registered under Tripura Urban Livelihoods Mission. The group members were also imparted an advanced training by TULM on different aspects and hands-on training especially in product development, packaging, soft toy making, paper bag making and food processing.

“We are always motivated by the speech of our honorable Prime Minister Narendra Modi for supporting poor and needy women through the scheme of Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana-National Urban Livelihood Mission (DAY-NULM)” says Priyanka Dey Patri, a member of the group.

Beside running their own canteen, the group is looking forward to provide direct employment to at least 2 other unemployed women as helpers and service providers. The Group has been recognized by the local administration for their outstanding achievements in various fields, festivals and fairs and was awarded numerous times for empowering and inspiring other women.

Now the group looks forward to offer financial and social support to other women with a strong network which will help the needy women in addressing different forms of social and domestic issues. The group also provides important economic advantages for their members, including microfinance initiatives such as savings and loans, access to livelihood activities which will give opportunities for the members to increase their incomes for their families.

“These canteens will help poor women in alleviating poverty in the grassroots level and the state government always takes initiative to create employment opportunities for women throughout the state” says Abhedananda Baidya, Santirbazar Sub-Divisional Magistrate. “We have also provided spaces, table, chair, fan, water filter and other necessary items to the “Maa Laxmi” SHG from our end” he added.

In its endeavour the women SHG provides tea, light meal, light breakfast etc to the office visitors and staffs at Santirbazar SDM office campus. Since 19 April, 2022 the canteen facility became functional. This is the first such canteen across santirbazar, which has been set up by a local self-help group in an office campus.

“We are in the process of earmarking space for canteen to be run by women SHGs in different spots under Santirbazar Municipal Council” says Satyabrata Saha, Vice-Chairman of SMC.

If this model gets successful, we will tie up with other SHGs and submit a proposal to the government to replicate it in other government run places as well,” said Anindita Bhowmik, Livelihoods Coordinator.

“The canteen will serve the purpose of providing some good foods to the visitors who come for official work from different nook and corner of the Sub-Division” Said, Bikram Debbarma, a visitor of Rajapur in the canteen.

Aiming at empowering women, the self-help groups (SHGs) have been provided Rs 10,000 and a loan of Rs 50,000 by the Santirbazar Municipal Council to operate the canteens under Tripura Urban Livelihoods Mission. The women running the canteen at the office campus are earning of Rs 1,500-2,000 daily by serving delicious food to visitors and staffs at affordable rate.

Though women bear most of the societal responsibility today women can be seen outperforming man in creating income sources and self-help groups like “Maa Laxmi” are the most powerful conduits that can bring changes in the society by empowering women to move from subsistence to sustainability.  And these women are living examples; they are breaking the shackles of poverty, experiencing self-reliance, uplifting themselves and making positive impact among the communities.

(ICA feature)