Case study-1 About the Entrepreneur Name: Maya Mirdha Location: Phuljhari, Anagapada, district of Anugul Past activity:

House wife Present activity: Entrepreneur Name of the business unit: parched rice enterprise Previous Income: Nil Present Income: Rs 2500 per month Maya Mirdha is 40 years old woman. She is staying with her husband Indra Mirdha and her 4 children at Phuljhari, Anangapara district of Anugul. She is a good entrepreneur of her village. Now her financial condition is good. She is a credible woman in her SHG and village. Today she is aware of importance of water, health, child education etc. She was a house wife. She did not know about micro finance loan and SHG. With the intervention of BISWA she became aware about micro finance loan. Two years back 15 women were united in the form of Self Help Group with the help of BISWA. Today they clearly say that it is only BISWA who made us aware about the value of saving small money. I did not realize that small money which I save can make difference in our lives. SHG not only helped them as a tool for saving but it has opened doors towards their own development. She took loan amount Rs.30, 000 from BISWA through her SHG for livelihood promotion. And BISWA provided her training about the small business Rice processing. This money helped a lot in order to improve their business conditions. She was invested money in the rice production and in purchase of machinery. When it was asked that why she dont take loans from other sources the women clearly said that loans are not available from other sources at the time of exigencies or if available then it is at a very high interest rate. She is very relaxed to have a support system in the form of SHG which can provide money when and where required. Parched Rice Production Enterprise As the farmer community doesnt have land for agriculture purpose they are required to buy paddy, fuel etc from other cultivators with in or from nearby villages. This increases the input cost of rice production. Small children unload the material from trolley. Girls and women do weaning, boiling and drying. Male members do roasting and packing etc. All in all every member of the family is involved in the process so it is a labour intensive enterprise which provides money only after hardships. It is really a hot money. Production Parched rice is prepared through a long-lasting process of 3 to 4 days depending upon the variety of the paddy crop and weather conditions. For production of one quintal of parched rice it requires 2 quintals of raw paddy. Raw paddy is first weaned manually and then it is boiled in the earthen pots for few hours. The boiled paddy is now cooled by putting it in the cold water tanks for 3 to 4hours. Once the paddy is cool down it is dried for 2 to 3 days in the bright sunlight. And finally it is ready for putting it in the roaster for parched rice. Besides rice two by products husk

and poultry feed are obtained in 3:1 ratio. The enterprise provides profit of Rs.2280/- per month with expenses of Rs.4240/- and income Rs.12, 425/-with an initial investment of Rs.30, 000/Labour Requirement From Labour point of view the production process involves 4 to 5 people in order to produce 1 quintal of parched rice. The laborers work in two phases in the whole week for rice production. In the first 3days they procure all the raw material and in the next 3 days they do only roasting and last day are left for marketing of the produce. The whole process is so tedious and health hazardous to the people involved in making finished rice. It is very difficult to breath at the places where roasting took place. This shows the extreme drudgery and hard work. Marketing of the Produce Easy availability of the market is one of the major pillars of a successful enterprise. The market where the parched rice producers sell their products is available with in the territory of 3-4 Km on Athamalik. She disposes their produce in the Athamalik on Haat and got good prices from the buyers. In the whole process of marketing we cannot see the middleman and thats why they got the right price for their produce. She earned more profit from retailing because the produce is sold at higher cost. But she prefers to dispose the rice in the whole sale market because it gives them regular and large amount of money. According to the producers, there is one more advantage of whole sale marketing i.e. she built a relationship with the buyer through regular business which helps when there is immediate need of money. Impact The micro enterprise approach of BISWA helped these small producers to regularize the production process and so as to the enterprise. According to Maya I have invested the money which I took from BISWA into rice and now the profit from rice sale helps me to give some money to my son in order to open a new shop. The Journey has begun With the assistance of BISWA Laxmipriya Enterprise the villagers are able to expand their business and at the same time through SHG the women are making their family life better. She is aware about of importance of education, good health and sanitation. BISWA has given few inputs on technical aspects of rice production but as the production process is very much tedious, difficult and hazardous and at the same time they face a lot of difficulties, still there is a scope to evolve better and safe techniques to produce parched rice so that producers could produce more rice with less harm.
Case study-2 About the Entrepreneur Name: Swarnalata Rout Location: At-Chhatrali, Po-Thalsada, Via-Bahanga, Dist-Baleswar Past activity: House wife Present activity: Entrepreneur

Name of the business unit: Spices unit Previous Income: Nil Present income: Rs. 2000.00 Swarnalata Rout is a 37 years old woman of Chhatrili village, Po- Thalasada, Via Bahanga District of Balasore. She is staying with her husband Umakanta Rout and her two children. She is a credible woman in her village. Because she is the qualify woman in her village. She has leadership quality. Now she is teaching about health, child education, water & sanitation to the village.She was very poor woman. Her economical condition was very week. She had some idea about SHG but she didnt get chance to form the SHG. With the intervention of BISWA she was getting chance to establish a SHG. They are saving @ 50/- per member a month. She took loan amount Rs. 30,000/from BISWA through her SHG. She decided to start a business. BISWA provided her EDP training about small business (spices industry). She had lack of idea about marketing. BISWA provided business development service. She purchases a machine. Her mother in low helped in the spices packaging. Now she is preparing turmeric and curry powder, Chilly powder, Papad etc. She is getting more profit from her business. She is selling her product through LAXMIPRIYA ENTERPRISE of BISWA. Now her monthly income Rs.2000/-.Now her financial condition is good. Now she is able to provide good education to her children and she want increase her business.

Case study-3 About the Entrepreneur Name: Sakuntala Baral Location: Nuagopalpur, Nimapara, district of Puri Past activity: House wife Present activity: Entrepreneur Name of the business unit: General Store Previous Income: Nil Present income: Rs. 1000.00 Sakuntala Barala is the wife of Prafulla Baral. She is 35 years old woman. She is staying with her husband and two children at Nuagopalpur. Her educational qualification is 7th standard. Now her financial condition is good. She is a credible woman in her SHG and village. Today she is aware of importance of water, health, child education etc. She is very happy for being a SHG member of BISWA.Sakuntala had tough life to mange her four member family with a meager and irregular income of her husband. Her husband an auto Rickshaw Driver was earning a scanty of opening of RS 800 to1000 a month. It was difficult to manage the family. Before joining of SHG She was a house wife. She did not know about SHG and Federation. With the intervention of BISWA she became aware about micro finance loan and SHG. Then they started a SHG within 15 members of women with support of BISWA. And they are saved 50 rupees per month. She thought of opening a betel shop to supplement of her family income. Being a member of SHG a loan from it was the only alternative before her which was quite insufficient. A sizable loan amount of Rs. 30,000 from BISWA was a blessing for Sakuntala at this crucial moment, with this loan support, she expanded her existing business by procuring some additional stationary items. She bought a fridge for the shop to attract customers with soft drinks, sweet curd, butter milk etc. Sankuntala was wise enough to capture the market by offering telephone services to her customer at her shop by opening a telephone booth. All this has enabled Sakuntala to stand in the competitive market with great confidence. Multiplication of business enabled her to earn five times more than what heaver she was getting earlier. With the timely and adequate support from

BISWA, Sankuntala is able to augment her family income which has helped her to meet the expenses of education of her child, family consumption needs and repayment of old debts. She cleared all the payments to BISWA in time. Being encouraged, she has applied for a second loan from BISWA out of which she proposes to buy an auto rickshaw for her husband. Today she is proud of BISWA for making her dream into reality. With a smile she says: thanks BISWA for in time hassle free adequate financial support to augment my household income. This has enabled her to lead a life of dignity.

Case Study-4 About the Entrepreneur Name: Chouri Dei Location: Ushapatana, Narendrapur, Nayagaraha, Orissa Past activity: House wife Present activity: Entrepreneur Name of the business unit: Grocery shop Previous Income: Nil Present Income: Rs. 1,500.00 per month Chauri Dei is 43 years old. She is the wife of Krushna Das. She is staying with her husband and children. She is belongs to Ushapatana, Narendrapur district of Nayagarh. They are both literate and both completed their 5th level of education. Presently they own a small provision store in the village of Ushapatana. All of Chouri, s children are currently in school.The financial condition of Chouris's family was very poor before she joined her Self-Help Group (SHG). During the rainy season, the family was completely dependent on their income from selling food grains. They had no stable source of income. The family had no savings and inadequate food and clothes. Whatever they earned in a day would be spent immediately for basic survival.Chouris found herself completely excluded from society. She never had exposure to a bank and was cut off from her village. There was little to Chouri's life beyond the four walls of her own home. With the intervention BISWA Chouri and her husband first heard about the Self-Help Groups and Micro finance loan. Chouri joined a SHG who used to save 50 per month. Chouris took a loan of Rs.1, 0000.00 rupees to start a small provision store. BISWA provided her training about small business. She started her grocery shop. She has never had any difficulty repaying her loans and has even paid ahead on many occasions. On average, gross sales from the shop each day range from 500-700 rupees resulting in a monthly net profit of between 1500-1700 rupees. Chouri enjoys working at her shop but ads, "This is not mine, and it is the group's shop." It is said that the "fruits of hard labour are sweet." This saying suits Chouri as her efforts are finally being rewarded. Today Chouri has her own self-identity both socially and in her own family. She considers the other group members to be friends and they all look upon her favorably. Her family enjoys decent living standards. Chouri and her husband are now able to keep their children clean with three pairs of clothes each rather than only the one pair each had before. Chouri and her husband have taken out life insurance policies through BISWA Micro insurance. Chouri has dreams of building a brick house for the family. In the near future she plans to take a loan to level her land for better farming. She also wants to expand her shop and stock it with a wider selection. Clearly confidence and hard work have profoundly impacted her family's situation for the better.

Case Study-5 About the Entrepreneur Name: Promodini Jena Location: Balyamba, Chapar district of Dhenkanal Past activity: House wife Present activity: Entrepreneur Name of the business unit: Goattary farm. Previous Income: Nil Present Income: Rs. 800.00 per month Promodini Jena is a 45 years old woman of Balyamba, Chapar, district of Dhenkanal. She is staying with her husband Mr.Chaityanya Jena and her children. Before joining SHG she was very grim. At their home in the family owned 5 goats, 4 hens and 3 cocks. With the intervention of BISWA she knew about micro finance loan. After joining the SHG she took loan Rs10, 000.00 from BISWA through her Self Help Groups. BISWA provided her training about goatary farm through VS. She bought 6 goats from market. Then she established a goatary farm in her own place. At first she was no idea about market but as the small enterprise established and got a very good response from the locals, she was motivated to spare most of her time. She repaid her loan amount regularly on time. After investing this loan amount she could make profit. Her monthly income is 800 rupees per month. Now she is selling mutton through her husband, and her loan 100% repayment rate and she got confidence about her business and proved her self. As for changes in social condition are concerned in Promodinis family, food consumption has better now. She was able to educate as her daughter & Sons. Her extensive field experience had made her realize how much of the business activities are done by women in small and marginal holdings.

Case Study-6 About the Entrepreneur Name: Sanjukta Naik Location: Luhamunda, Vikashoregiri, district of Anugul Past activity: House wife Present activity: Entrepreneur Name of the business unit: Vegetable cultivation Previous Income: Nil Present Income: Rs.1, 250.00 per month Sanjukta Naik is a 37 years old woman of Luhamunda, Via-Kishoregiri, district of Anugul. She is living with her husband Mr.Nadhua Narayan and her 3 children. Her current assets 3 acre of land, seven goats, two cows, two baby cows, two oxen and one buffalo. Now she is a credible person in her SHG and village also she is very happy of being a SHG member of BISWA.Before joining the she was a house wife. With the intervention of BISWA she became aware about micro finance & SHG. With the support of BISWA and She became a member of the SHG, hence she took the loan of Rs. 8,000/- micro finance loan from BISWA. She decided that amount will be invested in her agriculture Field. BISWA provided her training on vermin composting and guidance about agriculture. And she purchased seeds of vegitable chemical fertilizer, and also started vegetable cultivation, like as Tomato, Chilly, Potato, quail flower, cabbage etc. She sold her vegetables in her nearest markets.

Her family members get sufficient direct nutrition. This Year She has earned Rs.15, 000/- from vegetable cultivation. Now her living condition is good. She is able to produce more vegetable from her own land. She is treated as an efficient farmer in the village.

Case Study-7 About the Entrepreneur Name: Abhi Dei Location: Manapur, Nayagara, Orissa Past activity: House wife Present activity: Entrepreneur Name of the business unit: Agriculture Previous Income: Nil Present Income: 1,200.00 per month Abhi Dei is 57 years old .And wife of Khatia Biswal. She is belongs to Manapur village, district of Orissa, Nayagara. She is staying with her husband and one son and two daughters. Her family's main source of income is farming. Both she and her husband reached the 8th level of education at school before leaving; both are literate.She earned 1500 rupees a month working there for four to five months out of the year. Economically, the family struggled everyday. They did not have enough food or clean clothes, and they did not bathe often. They frequently turned to moneylenders to make ends meet. For a typical loan, the moneylender's would charge 5% interest and take her jewelery as collateral. For a loan of 1000 rupees, she would only be given 950 outright and then charged 5% each month on the remaining balance until it was paid off. Although Abhi was a contributor in family decision-making, she did not have a proper social status in her community. She was not free to make her own decisions regarding where she went within the village. With the intervention of BISWA she was aware about Micro finance loan. Abhi saved 50 rupees and joined SHG. And she took out her loan for 5000 rupees buy seeds for farming. BISWA provided her training about vermin composting. She has never had problem meeting loan repayments. Her income from the sale of milk and vegetables has provided enough money to occasionally repay more than the minimum monthly payment. Today, Abhis family owns four cows, two goats, and one well with a water pump that is used to irrigate their farmland. She is the lead decision-maker in her family and is well regarded within the community. She has developed friendships with the women in her SHG that she never had before. "Now I am self-dependent due to the SHG group and a confident person," says Abhi Dei. She will continue farming and hopes to expand her milk business. There is also talk within her SHG of pulling money and buying a flourmill together. Now her monthly income is Rs. 1,200.00