Teeja Kanwar is a resident of a village in Ajmer district. She is 55 years old and has been connected to the Rajasthan Mahila Kalyan Mandal for the past 10 years. Her family consists of her husband Chotu Singh, who has been disabled for the past 15-20 years and doesn’t work. He spends 30-40 rupees daily on cigarettes and tea. Their eldest son occasionally works, but his income is minimal. Due to her Rajput heritage, Teeja Kanwar cannot work outside the home, resulting in a dire economic situation. Without any other source of income, the family relies on the support of the organization.
The organization connected Teeja Kanwar to a small self-help group, where she began to make small savings and took internal loans to meet her family’s needs. Through this group, she received an 11,000-rupee loan, which she used to buy two goats, allowing her to support her family and repay the loan. As the goats reproduced, she raised and sold them during Eid, earning approximately 30,000 rupees. With this income, she bought a buffalo and paid off some of her old debts, gaining a sense of confidence.
Her second loan from the organization went towards farming expenses, such as buying fertilizers, weeding, and other agricultural work. The income from these activities helped her repay the loan and provide for her children’s education. In 2018/19, the organization provided her with additional support by giving her a mature goat worth 7,000 rupees and a third loan, which she used to build two rooms in her home. Selling more goats during Eid allowed her to complete the construction.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, the organization supported her with food supplies worth approximately 10-12,000 rupees, helping her through a difficult time. Additionally, she received a 35,000-rupee loan through the “Rang De” program, which she used to buy another buffalo.
Teeja Kanwar now engages in both animal husbandry and agriculture, which provides enough income to support her family and repay her loans. Despite the lack of support from society and relatives, she is deeply grateful to the organization for its continuous support, which has empowered her to overcome difficult times. With this encouragement, she can now face challenges with confidence.