Geeta Lodhi
District : Shahdol
Block : Sohagpur
Village : Jamui
Self Help Group : Sai Self-Help Group
Livelihood Activities : Scaffolding and shuttering equipment, Tailoring
Lakhpati Didi Journey :
Smt. Geeta Lodhi, with the financial support of the Self Help Group under National Rural Livelihood Mission, managed to free herself from the clutches of moneylenders and establish her own business, eventually becoming an integral part of mainstream society.
Geeta joined the Sai Self-Help Group and began managing the group according to the instructions provided by the Madhya Pradesh State Rural Livelihood Mission. She took training under the Rural Self-Employment Training Institute (RSETI) scheme, guided by motivators of the Livelihood Mission in her village. After the training, she became a proficient tailor master. She received Rs. 15,000 as revolving fund, Rs. 60,000 as Community Investment Funds, and Rs one lakh from the bank. She used this loan to purchase scaffolding and shuttering equipment and tools for her masonry work.
Slowly, they repaid the initial loan, and Geeta took another Rs. 50,000 loan. The family’s income not only improved, but they also reclaimed the farmland they had mortgaged for basic needs.
Her story teaches us that while no one knows when life’s circumstances may change, much depends on how we face adversity. She is now a successful Entrepreneur and an inspiration to other women in her village.