Life skills-educated girls turn good entrepreneurs Tuesday, 06 October 2020 | AJIT PANDA | NUAPADA

 https://www.dailypioneer.com/2020/state-editions/life-skills-educated-girls-turn-good-entrepreneurs.html

It’s always said where there is a will there is a way. Ahalya Rana (20) of Silda village in Dumerpani panchayat of Nuapada district sells grocery items of about Rs 1,500 to Rs 2,000 per day in her general store. She is now proud of her status as a businessperson.

"I was very shy and skeptical about starting a business; but after my association with NGO ASHA Odisha, my opinion changed. They trained me in life skills education and sexual reproductive health rights (SRHR). It was not exactly about running business but skills that made me confident," says Ahalya,

Ahalya is now leading a Self-Help Group (SHG) in her village that helps poor women get financial support to run small trades and, at the same time, raises development-related issues with panchayat and Government offices.Hemlata Sahu (19) is another such entrepreneur doing business in her village Baloda. She couldn't continue her study after matriculation due to poverty. Her parents being very conservative didn't allow her for any social activity. "They even didn't like my idea of starting a business for earning.

 But I always wanted to support them financially and that opportunity came when ASHA Odisha invited me to be involved in the life skills education. "After initial inhibition, my parents agreed to allow me for the training," says Hema.Hema is a good mobiliser now having expertise in life skill education and sexual reproductive health rights.

Not only that, she is also presently the only ladies’ garment maker in her village due to training and startup support provided by ASHA Odisha. "I earn Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 a day by stitching various dresses and ladies’ garments," she says, adding that the income from tailoring has provided livelihood support to her family during the Covid-19 crises.Bhumika Sahu (20) is another such budding entrepreneur belonging to Dianmunda village of Tanwat panchayat. She has started a fancy store a few months back with support from the Save the Children and ASHA Odisha through project ANANYA.

"I am at present the only bread-earner of our family," says Bhumi and further explains how the pandemic killed their earning sources. "All the earning members of our family lost livelihoods during this pandemic; and we were in a very difficult situation.

Starting of this fancy store saved us from starvation. It helps us earn Rs 400 to Rs 500 daily," adds she. Bhumika is a very good facilitator of life skill education and SRHR in her village now.

She is also creating awareness on the prevention of corona spread. Durgeswari Patel from Biromal village has also turned a Covid-19 fighter. Being a good social change maker, she is able to motivate and inspire adolescent girls for education and livelihoods. She has stitched more than 500 masks and distributed those free of cost among the most vulnerable children and women.

There are many such change makers. Sulochana Sahu of Ratipali village has earned fame as an innovation artist. She makes home decoration items through wool and waste products. Dharya Kumari (18) from Tanwat village, an active member of Tulsi girl federation, is always ready for mobilising and educating adolescent girls.

ASHA Odisha and Save the Children through their project ANANYA - Marriage No Child’s Play" have trained several such girls in the district who are contributing significantly to their family incomes and, at the same time, taking leadership to train and motivate other girls to become self-dependent.

"The girls are now our main support to facilitate life skill education amongst the adolescent girls in villages," say ASHA Odisha staffs.