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Success Story
- Lakshmavva K hails from Rainapura village, Dharwad District. She is well known name in neighbouring households for preparation of delicacies like papad and other savouries. Her family comprising of her son, daughter & daughter in law assists her in the business.
- Initially she started papad preparation on a small scale and sold it to her neighbours. On realising the demand for her delicacies, she aspired to turn her hobby into business activity. However, she was apprehensive to venture out in big way due to lack of funding.
- She shared her interest with her neighbours who informed her about microfinance programme of IDF FSPL. She was informed about the benefits of availing loan from the Company and how it would help her to start a business of her own.
- Lakshmavva attended few of IDF FSPL group meetings to understand about micro finance and its products and how she could benefit from the programme.
- She became a member of "Mangalya IDF SHG" and obtained a loan of Rs 10000. She bought necessary materials and delivered the papad and other delicacies to her neighbouring houses within the village and in the local market. By word of mouth, she soon started receiving new orders from neighbouring villages. Her business was improving and orders increased day by day. To meet the requirements of her orders she obtained a further loan of Rs 20000 from IDF FSPL to install Papad making machine.
- Today, Lakshmavva is able to earn Rs. 10000/- per month and is able to live a better life. She is able to contribute to the necessities of her family and is planning to obtain a further loan from IDF FSPL to purchase a vehicle to deliver her savouries in large scale to neighbouring villages and districts. Lakshmavva's story is a true example of how persistence and hard work helps one to succeed in life.
- Lakshmavva is grateful to IDF FSPL for making finance available to the rural women in need.
- Nirmala and her Husband, inhabitants of Basavanagara village, Dharwad district used to work on a small piece of ancestral land. A Family of four, the meagre income they earned through agriculture was not sufficient to meet the needs of the family. To add to their grief, they were reeling under financial crisis due to debts made to cope with agricultural losses. Their children were even deprived of primary education. Though Nirmala intended to venture into animal husbandry to substitute income, she was unable to pursue it due to lack of funding sources.
- Nirmala shared her concerns with her neighbours. Her Friend who was already a member with IDF FSPL Loan programme recommended her to join the programme. Nirmala participated in a few group meetings and figured out how the schemes would benefit her. Soon she became a member of "Sri IDF SHG, Dharwad".
- At first, Nirmala obtained a loan of Rs. 15000 (INR Fifteen thousand only). Along with the loan from IDFFSPL, she borrowed a few more thousands from her neighbours/relatives to purchase a cow. She started delivering milk to neighbouring houses and soon realised that the income generated through this covers only her family expenditure. In order to improve the earnings she started selling milk products such as curd, butter milk, butter to their neighbours. Over a period of time her business has improved. Over the years, she has obtained further tranche of loans from IDF FSPL and has purchased another cow. She delivers up to 10-12 litres of milk on an average basis.
- The family is earning sufficient income and are left with adequate surplus after providing for all the business expenses. She has been able to fund her children's education.
- She has been associated with IDF FSPL for the last six years and is very grateful to the Company for contributing to her family's well-being.
- Ask anybody in Vinayakanagar, Tumkur as to where you would get crisp savories like mixture, Bhoondhi, chakkali, kodbale and other mouth-watering delicacies at reasonable prices and the prompt answer would be "Madhu Khara". The person behind the counter is Gowri, who despite several odds has built "Madhu Khara" into what it is today. A localite of Tumkur, Gowri was an illiterate who did not even know how to put down a signature. Astonishingly, now she is running her own business, which has a regular shop & food license.
- 'Madhu Khara' had a humble beginning two years ago when IDFFSPL first facilitated credit to Gowri. As an active member of IDFFSPL's 'Gangabhavani' SHG, she has been a role model to a number of other entrepreneurial aspirants. With successive doses of credit, she has been able to build up her business. Demands for her savouries are on the increase. Her products are slowly finding their way to the neighbouring taluks of Tumkur such as Pavagada, Sira, Koratgere, Tiptur.
- Uma was always fond of fashion designing from her school days; a profession hardly jelled with the identity of a girl who hailed from a small town in Tumkur district, Karnataka. Even her sister Rama was very talented. However their economic status did not permit them to venture further. Having heard the difficulties faced by others in borrowing from private persons, they were very reluctant to tread the same path. By providence, a close friend told Uma about IDF FSPL. Within a short time of becoming a member of Vidya Ganapathi IDF SHG, she was able to obtain a financial assistance of Rs. 10000/-, which helped in setting up S.N.V Boutique, a shop now so endeared to residents at Tumkur. Along with her sister, she has come out with unique fashion designs which have helped her to create visible differentiation in a crowded sector. Subsequent cycle of loans availed from IDF FSPL have helped to expand her business. With an increased income, she is now able to maintain a decent standard of living. She proudly acknowledges the financial support of IDF FSPL throughout her business.
- Wanting to give back to the society that helped them to grow, she and her sister assist IDF FSPL in its regular skill training & up gradation programme.
- Gowramma never felt her disability as a detriment. It was not her reason to sit back without earning her own livelihood. Bearing four children and having the entire family's responsibility on her back, she still leads her life with utmost poise.
- Her husband stopped providing for the family soon after the marriage. She had to learn to be financially independent so that she could raise her children. The family was originally living in a slum area of Bangalore. Back then, she ran a small grocery shop selling items of daily consumption to the residents of the area. Her daily sales were close to Rs. 2,000 and monthly income was about Rs. 3,000. She was hardly able to meet her household expenses with income from the business. Convinced that her grocery shop will not be able to provide sufficient income, she also started exploring other business ideas and finally zeroed in on the business of paper Bag making. She had learnt this skill long back at her mother's house and her brother was involved in selling these items in Bangalore. However seed capital for starting her business was a big problem.
- Through her neighbors she came to know about the microfinance programme of IDF FSPL. She became a member after attending the group meetings.
- With Rs 10,000 as her first loan from IDF FSPL, she bought the materials and started preparing paper bags. Looking at the quality of her bags, Companies like Peter England, Fast track etc. started sourcing their requirements from her. With the profits from the business and loans from IDFFSPL, she has slowly expanded her business. Now her elder son takes care of the grocery shop and the other two are involved in her business. With income from both the businesses, Gowramma has been able to take care of the family requirements very well.
- She is extremely thankful to IDF FSPL for their support, particularly in the initial phase of the business for her success. She feels that institutions like IDF FSPL can bring transformation in the lives of many poor people.
- Jayamma, Uma, Bhagyamma, Nagamma and Ratnamma are now proud to call themselves successful businesswomen. The 5 members of "Sri Lakshmi Venkateshwara IDF SHG" are engaged in the business of Bamboo basket weaving.
- Belonging to the 'Medar' community of basket weavers, they had perfected the art of working with bamboo over a period of time for their livelihood. The changing pattern of demand for their products in urban Bangalore brought them together. Joining hands together, becoming members of IDF FSPL and availing the required working capital, in the last two and a half years, they have created a joint enterprise of selling Bamboo baskets in the local streets of Banashankari- Bangalore.
- They are in the process of setting up a permanent shop, wherein they can diversify into other bamboo products. Towards this they have now borrowed their third cycle loans of Rs. 25,000/- each. They truly believe in themselves and in their future.
- Shantha, a native of Bangalore, working as a housemaid, realized that the wages she earned along with her husband's meager earnings was not sufficient to meet the growing needs of her family. More importantly her children were being deprived of a proper education, which was a major worry for her.
- An excellent cook that she was, she always dreamt of setting up a fast food joint. Putting her culinary talents into work, with a meager capital, she started her catering business at home with the available utensils and sold them on the footpath to the local residents in her area. The food was tasty and the demand was excellent. However whatever she earned at the end of the day was just sufficient to buy materials for the next day. So to improve her business she started to borrow loans from the local money lenders to meet her working capital requirements. Paying the exorbitant rates of interest charged by them did not leave any surplus to Shantha.
- Then Shantha found out about IDF FSPLs Microfinance program which supports micro-business. Soon she became a member of Annapoorneshwari IDF SHG. She availed a loan of Rs. 10000/- from IDF FSPL in the first cycle through which she bought the necessary vessels and other resources to upscale her business.
- As she started making more variety of eatables her business grew and her earnings increased. Seeing the success of the business her husband left his job as a contract auto driver and joined her in conducting the business in large scale. Excellent credit record enabled continued support from IDF FSPL. As a result, she could repay her other loans and improve her business. Today she is the proud owner of 'Shantha Fast-Food'.
- Her two young children are now going to the local school. Shantha is trying to convert her dreams into reality by her hard work. Quality is the hall mark of her preparations.
- Life was not easy for Nagarathnamma of Mellehall, Koratagere taluk, Tumkur district. Her family comprised of five members and their total earnings from farm labour was not sufficient to take care of all their needs. Nagarathnamma had experience in rearing cows, but did not have the requisite capital to buy a cow. The exorbitant rates of interest charged by the local money lender deterred her from pursuing her dreams of having her own cow. She came to know about the Self Help groups promoted by IDF through her neighbor Bhagyamma.
- Along with other 10 other likeminded needy women, she approached IDF and thus was born 'Mahalakshmi IDF Mahila SHG'. The group members participated in the group meetings with a lot of interest saved regularly every week and thus became eligible for a group loan from IDF FSPL. The group got a loan of Rs.100000/- from IDF FSPL. Since one of the members decided not to avail her share of the loan due to personal reasons, the group agreed to give that share to Nagarathnamma, who thus got Rs.20000/- as a loan.
- Ecstatic Nagarathnamma was thus able to fulfill her dreams of owning a cow. With the loan she got, she purchased a CB Jersey cow yielding around 15 litres per day. With the help of her family members, she was able to take care of the cow and market the milk locally and started earning Rs.300/- per day. After meeting all expenses, she was able to save nearly Rs.200/- per day. She was able to repay her loan from IDF FSPL within the prescribed one year and also build up a saving of Rs 3000/-.
- She also has been able to help her fellow SHG members in case of their need to a certain extent. Nagarathnamma is a proud woman today. With continued support from her group and assistance from IDF FSPL, she is leading a better life, being the proud owner of two cows-Thanks to IDF FSPL.
- Sri Banashankari IDF SHG was started by twelve women residing in Rachoteshwara nagar, Gadag on 24.07.2011. The group was actively led by Susheela Hiremath with effective guidance by field staff Fakeeramma Lakundi from IDF FSPL. At the initial stages the group met regularly and started saving in small amounts.
- The group always deliberated on starting own business during their group meetings. While assessing the various business thoughts, the idea of preparing vermicelli triggered. The group felt it was a viable business venture and the group leader Mrs. Susheela Hiremath promised to made arrangements of a small plant to set up the unit. Five members of the group visited 'Gangapura' nearby market to learn the art of preparing Vermicelli.
- The group further enquired about the various means of accessing finance and initial capital for purchasing the required resources. Field staff Fakeeramma Lakundi immediately proposed their eligibility to borrow the loan from IDF FSPL. The Company after being satisfied with group, granted them a first cycle group loan of 90000/-.
- The group invested Rs. 50000/- to set up the unit. They also purchased vermicelli preparing machine, weighing machine, sealing machine and other required resources for preparing vermicelli for Rs. 36000/-.
- The group started their business on the 1st of January 2012 and it has had a good run till date. They marketed their produce in the nearby villages like Kadhampura, Sambhapura, Adavisomapura, Kurudagi, Samshi. They have also completed 42 successful weeks with the Company. IDF FSPL appreciates their initiation and promises to boost their business so as to reach out to more markets.
- Paravva Hebbali is a bamboo basket weaver in Myaadar oni of Dharwad. She belongs to the Myaadar Community whose main occupation is bamboo basket weaving. About twenty years ago, Paravva got married and moved with her husband to Dharwad. They have two children – boy and a girl.Her husband was working in a nearby local market as a basket weaver while she was a homemaker.
- Five years back, her husband fell ill. With an ailing husband and three children to take care of, life had become miserable. She lacked finances for the medical treatment of her husband and to take care of her children. Paravva had to bear the brunt.
- She took a brave decision of taking care of the family on her own by weaving and marketing bamboo baskets. Initially her income was very low even though she worked hard and many times she was left empty handed with no income because of the high cost of borrowing from the private borrowers. Further due to lack of adequate capital she could not increase her product range. Her family was barely able to survive on herincome, let alone generate extra income to reinvest into herbusiness.
- Things changed from the time of her association with IDF. She joined “Ilahi IDF Mahila SHG group in the year 2007. Her initial borrowing of Rs.5000/- from IDF and the subsequent loan of Rs.15000/- helped her to gradually increase her product range and thereby her monthly income. With another Rs.15000/- today, Paravva is taking care of her family needs and the education of her children.
- We are proud of you Paravva Hebballi and assure you that we will be there always in your future needs.
- Girijamma belongs to in a small village Doddasagre of Koratgere Taluk in Tumkur district. The place is drought struck and the livings conditions of the people are very poor. The unemployment problems worsened the conditions for the dwellers in the village. Many MFIs whichpreviously lent loans to the families withdrew their activities as they feared cent percent recovery of all the dues.
- With five mouths to feed and insufficient earnings, the Girijamma's family had an arduous time in having even two meals a day. The main occupation of the family was poultry farming and Girijamma had always dreamt to set up a shop of her own and sell poultry, but she lacked access to affordable financial resources.
- At such instance, Girijamma learnt about IDF’s microfinance program and its mission to provide financial services at reasonable rates through the field staff Marianna. With active assistance she joined hands with 12 other likeminded women and formed "Eshwara IDF Mahila SHG". The group met regularly and discussed various issued bothering their locality. It was through these meetings that the idea of the Poultry farming triggered to Girijamma.
- After 8 weeks, the group was sanctioned a loan for IDFFSPL, Girijamma initially borrowed Rs. 8000/- which she utilized setting up a petty shop, with this could earn around Rs.150/- to 200/- per day. Subsequently she borrowed a loan of Rs. 15000/- and setup a business in small scale. Girijamma's business grew and subsequently she set up her own shop in the village for selling chicken meat. Her business has been running smoothly. What started as a small scale business now has grown in huge proportions and Girijamma is very thankful to IDF for its timely support and assistance.
- Amudhawas a house wife leading a mundane life like any other ordinary woman. Her husband worked in a construction company. Her three children (2 Sons and a daughter) were studying in the government school. Life was just OK, until a day she got to know that her son suffered from blood Cancer. Her Husband was the sole breadwinner for the family and under such circumstance the family had to incur huge sums of money for medical treatment of her son which dried up all their savings and also put the family into debt trap.
- Amudha through her neighbor Mumtaz, and Suguna, field staff from IDF FSPL came to know more about IDF FSPL and its micro finance programme. After understanding the benefits she expressed her desire to be a part of the programme. The field staff and her friend were very supportive and helped her in joining Sri "Kalpataru SHG Mahila Sangha" as a member. She attended the weekly meetings regularly and started saving in small amounts. She made effective use of the training programmes conducted by the Company.
- After the initial training programme, She borrowed a first cycle loan of R.s 8000/- and started a petty shop in front of her house. The meagre income from business along with her husband’s income was not sufficient to take care of basic needs of the family. Hence, she planned to start additional business of selling imitation jewellery. With her second loan of Rs. 15000/- she purchased imitation jewellery and started to sell in the petty shop on a small scale. The novelty of her products brought in good business from the locals. The margins were high and she ploughed back some of the profits into the business. She was also able to repay her loan and has started repaying the borrowings she had taken for her son's illness.
- Today, her son is one the way to recovery and is studying in 10th standard. With confidence and hope beaming in her eyes, Amudha looks to the future, wherein with additional support from well-wishers, friendsand IDF FSPL, she hopes to become a small time entrepreneur.
- Prema is originally from a small village near Tumkur. Her and her family decided to move to Bangalore so her husband could work as a security guard. She opened a small garment business, but her children could not help since they were too young at that time. The family could not afford to live in Bangalore. After a few years, financial difficulty forced them to return to the village. Prema stayed at home to care for the children and the house. Her husband opened a tailor shop. Unfortunately, he spent all his money purchasing a truck. The family got into significant debt, and Prema's husband was no longer able to operate his business.
- At that time, construction of a bridge began near their home. Prema and her husband decided to prepare food to serve the workers on their lunch breaks. And thus began their dream to open a fast food restaurant.
- Five years ago, IDF FSPL's loans gave Prema's family the financial help to open a fast food restaurant. With the first 7.000 Rupees loan, they rented a small location on one of the busiest streets in Tumkur. They then purchased the necessary kitchen supplies. The second loan of 15.000 Rupees allowed them to buy a new stove, table and large sign. Prema's fast food restaurant provides her family with nearly 1.000 Rupees per day.
- Thanks to the family business, Prema's 2 youngest children are now going to university. She plans for them to receive Masters degrees. She hopes to keep the restaurant open at night, as Tumkur is a late-night town. Prema and her husband also own a small piece of land. In the future, Prema and her husband dream of building a new house for their family.
- Pushpawathi has 2 children, one in the 10th standard and one in the 12th standard. Her husband is physically disabled and therefore all of the responsibilities have been put on her shoulders. Before, she was struggling to make ends meet, however, with the help of IDF FSPL, she was able to take a loan of 7000 rupees. This allowed her to purchase cloth and expand her business to sell innerwear for men and petticoats for women. Her son, who is also a tailor, has an income of Rs. 5000 and Pushpawathi’s income is currently Rs. 2000 per month. With a monthly family income of 7000 rupees per month, she is very happy and finally feels a sense of stability. She purchases supplies from Bangalore and sells locally. She attends SHG meetings regularly as she feels happy sitting and sharing stories and feelings with others. Saving 10 rupees per month, she has to this date saved 500 rupees. Her dream is to join with others and transform her business into a group enterprise.
- Savita used to live with her husband and one child in a slum, where she had to go and fetch sticks for her home. The living conditions were quite poor. Her husband was the only one employed. He is a local security guard earning Rs. 2,500 per month. Savita joined IDF SHG and took out a loan for a tailoring business. Her first loan was Rs. 5,000 and was used to purchase a sewing machine.
- Now, with her husbands' income and her income the family is earning Rs. 3,500, and after expenditures is left with Rs. 2,500. Savita has a great plan for the future. She is enrolled in the Pigney Daily Savings Scheme where she saves daily Rs. 100 with the bank. Her son is now in LKG, and in the future Savita wants her son to continue to have good education. She also wants to be able to buy a house instead of paying rent.
- Thanks to IDF FSPL she can make these plans. In the last 6 months, Savita purchased a second machine for her tailoring store. With the new machine she is able to expand her business services to include embroidery on saris and blouses.
- Her business success and support she receives at SHG meetings, in addition to financial literacy training at the SHG meeting, has enabled her family to improve their livelihood: moving from the slum to a house, and saving for the future education of their son.
- Manjura is a young lady, living only with her husband in a small house in Dharwad, Karnataka. Initially, Manjura and her husband subsided off his income alone, as he worked at his brother's Barbershop. From the Barbershop the family earned Rs. 3,500. After joining IDF FSPL SHG, Manjura acquired her first loan of Rs. 3,000. She used this with hopes of starting a beauty parlor in her home. Thanks to IDF FSPL loans, she was able to attend training courses and purchase material to start a beauty parlor in her house.
- Business is doing well, and Manjura has taken a second loan from IDF FSPL for Rs. 10,000 to continue expanding her business. With Majura's addition of Rs. 2,000 to the family's monthly income, they can better meet their needs and they were recently even able to purchase a TV. In the future, Manjura hopes to move her beauty parlor from her house to a shop and expand her services.
- Manjura regularly attends SHG meetings and serves as its SHG's representative to the Cluster and currently holds the Treasurer position of the Cluster.
- Yallava has 5 members in her family, and they migrated in search of work. She used to stitch quilt, but now thanks to IDF FSPL loan she joins her husband in the vessel business. Before IDF FSPL, Yallava was borrowing at 2% per month interest from moneylenders, but it was not reliable funds. After taking the loan, the family's income has doubled.
- Everyday she travels by bus starting at 8:00 am and ending at 4:00 pm to 40-60 villages. She sells about 1,000 vessels a day and makes between 600 and 2,000 rupees per day! For every 1,000 vessels Yallava sells, she is able to save 300 rupees. With this savings she is able to send her children to boarding school-Kareppa, 13 years old is in the 7th standard, Davali, 8 years old in 1st standard, and Asuni is 6 years old.
- From birth she has been handicapped, but she has pre-university education. Now, 10 years she runs this shop thanks to loan from IDF FSPL. Before the shop, her business was confined to a small roadside kiosk. With help from a bank loan, she purchased on lease rights to a shop in this building. IDF FSPL provided the working capital needed for running this shop. On her first loan cycle she borrowed 6,000 Rs. She is able to save 710 Rs.
- Parwati, community organisor working in Hubli while looking at the members of SHG she had organized, found that the money borrowed was either spent on household expenses or for the businesses run by their husbands. She thought the SHG members have energy and time which could be used in some activities which can generate additional income.
- She found Kavita Dagge a member of Bhagyalaxmi SHG at Nekarnagar Hubli sharing her idea of motivating women to take up some income generating activities. They found that there garment manufacturers in Hubli are looking for outsourcing manufacturing of 'Petty Coat'. The garment manufacturers provide cloth which has to be cut, and stitched and packed delivered to them. Kavita initially motivated her SHG members to lend their hands in manufacture of petty coats and earn income.
- She set up a unit consisting of cutting machine and motorized sewing machine. The Rs 60,000 loan provided by IDF FSPL was invested in the unit. While some members work in the unit, owing to space constraint others take the cut cloth to their homes and stitcg. The unit now provides employment for more than 35 SHG members of fellow SHGs. The members earn based on the number of garments they produce which ranges from Rs. 60-120 per day, a decent income for Hubli life.
- "My little hobby of doing embroidery was only a seed that was nurtured by idf to make it grow like a tree", Vidya recalls, with gratitude exuding out of her face!. A humble lady from Savanur of Haveri district joined SHG and soon learnt that it is a strong tool to fulfil her dreams. The trainings and micro finance that idf provided helped to tune her attitude and skills to shape herself to be a good entrepreneur.
- "There is lot of difference in my work skills before and after the training I received", she gratefully recalls. I have learnt many many new designs during the trainings. My ambition to start a unit of my own needed financial support. "The micro finance provided by IDF helped me to fulfil my dreams", she humbly asserts. She is able to complete 10-15 saris in a month and earn Rs 2500-3000. She has now bought an embroidery machine and invested around Rs 4000 on raw materials. "This could happen because of the support in training and providing finance at the right time at my doorsteps" She quips.
- "The khara and sweet we prepare never see the next day at our counters" smilingly remarks Shankaramma, a proud SHG member from Fakiranahalli, a remote village in Savanur taluk of Haveri district. The reason she quotes is the quality and taste of her products. The village has no bus reaching anywhere at 6 km distance from the village. She has been a SHG member for past over 2 years regularly saving in the SHG. The trainings she received helped her pusue Savanur Khara preparation. One of her sons who had some experience in working in a shop as a helper came handy to assist her in her venture, especially in marketing the product. She started to sell it to few shops and bakeries in near by town and big villages. She didn't forget to get feedbacks on the quality and incorporated corrections to her preparations'. That helped her to improve the quality quickly! As the demand increased, she increased the production also. Idf helped to meet her finance demands through its micro finance. She is earning Rs 500 to 1000 per day. She is confident that business is going to further improve in days to come!
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