Raipur: Women from remote regions are gaining self-reliance by engaging in livelihood activities related to animal husbandry. They are delighted to discover employment opportunities right in their own villages. Women associated with self-help groups in the Balrampur district’s Wadrafangar and Rajpur areas are actively involved in dairy farming, specifically in milk production. This initiative directly benefits nearby livestock owners. The establishment of a dairy unit in Rural Industrial Park (RIPA) has given a significant boost to women’s entrepreneurship.
Presently, women from two groups are jointly running a dairy business under the name “Doodhwala.” These women purchase milk from local livestock owners and sell milk and milk-based products, resulting in increased income for them as well as the livestock owners.
70 women from the group have found employment
In the project’s initial phase, milk collection centers were established in Wadrafnagar and Rajpur, where nearly 70 women from various groups are engaged in milk collection and distribution. These women consistently purchase nearly 152 liters of milk from about 76 livestock owners in 10 nearby villages. The group of women also sells milk to 136 urban consumers through Bihan market. Additionally, they utilize surplus milk to prepare various sweets. Since the inception of this initiative, both centers have acquired about 5.70 lakh liters of milk and successfully sold 5.64 lakh liters. Furthermore, the production and sale of sweets made from surplus milk have generated additional income. A member of the Sadabahar Group, Meena stated that a group was formed by connecting the rural women, which they’ve named the “Sadabahar Producers Group.”
