Help Rural Women Gain Essential Business Skills

Success story - How Tanuja  turned from a sugarcane juice seller into a honey entrepreneur, now earning 12,000/month with eight beehives.

Tanuja, a resident of a tribal settlement near Kurza village, has transformed her life from a seasonal sugarcane juice seller into a successful honey entrepreneur.

Her family depended on agriculture and a sugarcane juice stall she operated in weekly markets. With three children studying away from home, rising household expenses, and a house in need of repairs, financial pressures were significant. Determined to increase her income, she purchased a sugarcane juice machine through a 30,000 self-help group loan. Although the business provided some earnings, she sought a more sustainable livelihood.

A turning point came when Tanuja participated in a Mann Deshi exposure visit to the Kosbad Agricultural Centre, where she learned about beekeeping. The enterprise appealed to her because it required less daily supervision, offered access to government support schemes, and benefited from the growing demand for organic products.

After further exploration and interactions with government departments, she received financial assistance of approximately 1.4 lakh through Khadi and Village Industries and tribal development schemes. The forested surroundings of her village proved ideal for honey production.

Through Mann Deshi’s Digital Literacy training, Tanuja learned to use smartphones, Google Pay, and WhatsApp for business promotion and digital transactions. Today, she manages eight beehive boxes, earns around 12,000 per month from honey production, and has ordered ten additional boxes to expand her enterprise further.

Our sincere gratitude to every supporter of the Mann Deshi Foundation for empowering dreams and creating brighter futures.