NE NEWS SERVICE
COIMBATORE, APR 15
Thanks to Isha’s self-employment initiatives, tribal women from Thanikandi village in the foothills of Velliangiri have achieved a record of turnover of Rs 64 lakh and earned a profit of Rs 23 lakh, says a release.
‘Chellamariamman Tribal Women Self Help Group’ was started in 2018 by uniting 11 tribal women from Thanikandi hill village near Isha. Few shops near Adiyogi and a battery cart were provided free of charge. They started their own business with an investment of a few hundred rupees and have achieved a record turnover of Rs 64 lakh in just three years.
They also made a profit of Rs 23 lakh. With their own investment of Rs 6 lakh they have also bought a new battery car. They use this car to take the public from Adiyogi to Sarpavasal. They charge Rs 10 per person to travel in the 10-seater. The battery car is charged daily in Isha for free. Any minor repair is carried out free of charge. Similarly, small shops are making a profit by selling tea, coffee, soft drinks and snacks.
Isha has been helping people living in more than 100 villages around the Isha Yoga Center in various ways such as education, medicine and employment. In particular, Isha has been paying extra attention to the livelihood development of the tribal people who are at the very bottom of the social structure.
Prior to this, tribal women, who used to go to work for daily wages, have now grown to the point where they can become self-employed and financially self-reliant with the help and support of Isha. Also, they manage their homes and families well on the profits they have made and have bought household appliances such as mixers, grinders and scooters to make their living more comfortable.
During the COVID pandemic, the shops remained closed for a few months. But they managed their families very well even in adversity with the savings they had.
