From a housewife to an entrepreneur, 50-year-old Nalini Shetty has come a long way. She sells phenyl, prepared at her house, and also stitches clothes at her tailor’s shop in Parkodi, near Bajpe. “It’s through these units that my husband and I have been able to raise our children,” Ms. Shetty says.
She started her two units using funds from a self-help group. “The assistance that I received then has helped me educate our children. They have sustained us through our difficult times,” she says, adding: “It has provided opportunity to mingle with people and also help other needy people.”
Ms. Shetty was invited to inaugurate a two-day conference on ‘Women Empowerment through microfinance - challenges and prospects’ held at St. Agnes College recently.
Ms. Shetty said that it was difficult to meet the expenses of her five-member family on the salary of her husband who was also a tailor. Gopal Shetty’s income depended upon the number of clothes that he would stitch at a firm. “But that hardly met our expenses.”
Ms. Shetty became a member of a self-help group in Karmar village and got aid to start a small unit to prepare phenyl. She also joined a six-month long tailoring course as part of the State government’s skill development programme. After completing the course she got help to buy a sewing machine.
Ms. Shetty added phenyl was sold to other self-help group members and to nearby shops. She was also able to stitch clothes for her neighbours and other self-help group members. “The income for these two has sustained us so far.”
They now have a separate tailor’s shop and a small grocery shop. Her two daughters are married and are working – one of them in an educational institution and other in a realty firm. Her younger son is pursuing BBM course.
MentorThe confidence from these two initiatives, Ms. Shetty said, has helped her involve herself in running the Madari Vikasa Kendra in Malavoor Gram Panchayat where they educate neo-literates and provide them skill training. She also visits different schools to generate awareness about child sexual abuse. Two days ago she held an agitation to close down a liquor shop that had opened up in her native place Parkodi. “Social service is my hobby,” she told the students.
Yashvantha Dongre, the Coordinator of Mysore’s Third Sector Research Centre, who spoke next, said Ms. Shetty has presented fine example of changes that micro finance brings in the lives of women. “But there are still a large number of women who are not aware of this assistance. There are also many women who have taken assistance but have not achieved success.”
