Kuldip Maity

In my last blog, I mentioned that Durga Puja contributes Rs32,377 crore to the economy, especially from retail, food & beverages, installations and idol-making, amounting to around 2.6% of West Bengal’s GDP. We also know that while there were some signs of recovery in retail and F&B during the 2021 festival, even with some COVID19 restrictions in place, idol-making and installations need a boost that, hopefully, next year’s pujas will provide.

For idol-makers, though we have many religious occasions throughout the year, a slump in Durga Pujas translates to a major dip in their business. At least that is what Dipa Kar validated during our discussions with her.

Dipa, a member of the Amardeep JLG of Village Financial Services, in the Howrah district, is a Sri Briddhi customer. Dipa and her husband started pottery and idol-making around 25 years ago. Better access to markets made them move away from their ancestral village and set up shop in Bauria near Howrah, where they had bought land.

The business was doing well enough for them to employ workers. But then the COVID19 pandemic put everything into a tailspin. Dipa had to let go of the workers and run the show with her husband and son. It is not that orders have stopped, since religious events go on, but the orders were for smaller or cheaper idols. The mounting costs have been adding to their woes.

With the UNESCO announcement, many like Dipa are hoping that festivals will look up in 2022 and business will go back to pre-COVID times. Idol-making accounts for Rs260-280 crore in the total economic worth of the Durga Puja festivals. While we must comply with the COVID19 guidelines, we also need a quick revival of business for the sake of sustenance of those whom we have supported to bring out of their financially challenged lives.

Growth in demand is just a first step towards revival for potters; the next challenge that the idol-makers will face is getting skilled teams. Many of the earlier workers have moved to other jobs, and skill-building is not an overnight task. While Dipa had access to local resources, many idol-makers recruit migrants for such jobs, migrants who have moved back and may not return overnight, just on a single call.

We also need to look at alternatives for such idol makers, especially those who have been in this business for decades. Maybe exploring low-cost non-religious idols for decoration and space management purposes would be a good idea. While I am not an expert here, I feel that businesses that make clay structures need a stable model.

Cultural heritage is not only the monuments and collections of objects that remind us of our tradition and roots. It also includes intangible traditional social practices, rituals, and events and contemporary rural and urban practices in which diverse cultural groups take part.

It is on this note UNESCO has included Kolkata’s Durga Puja in its ‘Representative’ List of Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity’. A proud moment for those who have grown up with the 10-day festival as an integral part of their lives.

Durga Puja has always been a festival of social cohesion that has maintained its tradition while also promoting experimental art and social reforms without compromising on religious practices. It has been a unique example of how we can maintain our identity while feeling be a part of society at large. The influence of the festival is evident from the way expatriate Bengali Hindus try to return home to Kolkata during the festival to touch base with their roots or organise their festivals wherever they are in the world. The last time I checked (though in the pre-COVID19 days),Bengaluru had more than 70 Durga Puja committees and London had around 30 Durga Puja sites.

But Durga Puja is not only about the religious festival or cultural inclusion. According to a study conducted jointly by the West Bengal Tourism department and British Council in 2019, annually, Durga Puja contributes Rs32,377 crore to the economy, especially in sectors such as retail, food & beverages, installations, idol-making etc., amounting to around 2.6% of West Bengal’s GDP. These are substantial figures when we are referring to one 10-day festival.

Customers of Village Financial Services also get their fair share of the business.

While, as everywhere, the pandemic had its negative impact on Durga Puja celebrations, we are sure that the dip is temporary. There were some signs of a recovery in retail and F&B during the 2021 festival, even with some COVID19 restrictions in place. But idol-making, installations and a few sectors still need a boost that, hopefully, next year’s pujas will provide.

At VFS, we have been reaching out to customers whose businesses depend on the Durga Pujas, e.g., businesses such as idol-making, accessories, local tourismto understand their state. Some have downsized during the pandemic but are now planning to ramp up with the hope that the UNESCO tag will have a positive impact on business.

While the 2022 Durga Pujas startsin end-September, the Omicron variant of COVID19 is looming over us and all that we can do is wait and watch.

Empowerment of women can be possible when we break the traditional practices of society and make our customs gender neutral. One such custom is the widely-accepted norm of the girl being given away to another family on marriage. It has always disturbed me a lot.

But we also hear that the days are changing, and fast. When my executive told me about Debjani Chakraborty, it came as evidence.

Married to a man with a car rental service, Debjani got into the wholesale snacks business to add to the family income. With a microfinance loan from Village Financial Services, she bought chips and confectionery items in bulk and distributed them to the local kirana stores of Kotulpur Keorapara village in West Bengal’s Bankura district. The business has been steady, though it did take a hit because of the market turmoil caused by the COVID19 pandemic.

She told us how she is balancing her life between being a woman entrepreneur and a homemaker. Her husband, driving his own Scorpio, which he has rented to the block office, has erratic work hours. Debjani looks after his well-being. Her husband also helps her when the work pressure peaks. This symbiotic support is what keeps the marriage strong.

Debjani has not neglected her role as a mother of two daughters. She had to drop out of school in Class 8 so she ensures that her daughters don’t miss school. Despite her work pressure, Debjani tracks their progress every day.

So far, Debjani’s tale is like many others among our borrowers. So what makes her stand out?

As we were discussing her business and money issues, Debjani seemed tense. It is only at the end that we learnt that Debjani has ensured that her ailing father moves to her house and stays with her till he gets better. She has already ensured medical care for her 80-year-old father. She has put the growth plan of her business on hold.

Debjani insists that her father will continue to stay with her even after he gets well. As a daughter, she feels it is her duty to take care of her parent. She breaks the social norm that entrusts this duty to the son of the family since daughters are treated as members of another.

Empowered women such as Debjani validate the fact that gender does not have much to do with fulfilling the responsibilities of a child, parent or spouse while driving a successful business. What else can we expect from our women customers?

In my blog, Blessing in Disguise, I had written about the businesses that have been positively impacted by the lockdowns triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic. One example was of the kite-making business and the other was plant nurseries. The lockdowns forced people to stay at home and so more and more people looked inward.

People also became more health-conscious. Amongst the non-vegetarian people, fish became more popular as a source of essential nutrients such as calcium, omega 3, vitamins, and minerals. These nutrients were seen as protective good nutrition. Hence, the fishing nets business grew.

One such report says countries such as India and China have huge potential for the production of fishing nets manufacturing because of their long coastlines and increasing population. The report says the Asia Pacific region is expected to grow at a CAGR of 13.5 per cent and generate revenues of US$ 932.2 million in 2028.

While the people in this trade navigate their way out of the gloom of the pandemic and into the prosperity of the future, I shall talk about Elema Bibi. She is a resident of Atisara in West Bengal’s Hooghly district. She is a mother of two. She is an entrepreneur.

Right from childhood, Elema had been fascinated with fishing. Growing up in a fishing community, Elema accompanied her father on his small boat trips across the river. At the crack of dawn, little Elema would be up, ready to launch on their conquests. With some leftover rice packed in a bundle, she would leave with her father. Every day, after they returned with their catch, they would spread their nets content and segregate the fishes. At this point, Elema would have to leave for her home, and then for her school.

Educated till Class 7, Elema was married off early. Her husband worked in a jewellery manufacturing unit, far from her zone of fascination. Elema’s heart longed to see those threads of fishing nets. Days passed into years, Elema became a mother. She transitioned from a timid, little girl, to an able homemaker, and then to a loving, caring mother. But in all these transitions, her heart remained entrapped in the wondrous mesh of fishing nets.

Seeing her sadness, Elema’s husband proposed to her the business idea of manufacturing fishing nets at home.

A year ago, Elema became one of VFS enterprising customers. With the loan amount, she procured the necessary raw materials such as thread and needles. She made sure to let every fisherman in her village be aware of her products. To market them better, she hung her fishing nets in front of her courtyard. Soon, the fishing nets caught the eyes of potential buyers. They also became well known for their durability and strength. As word spread, Elema soon attracted customers from outside her village. To handle the demand, Elema soon employed a few women from her neighbourhood. She taught them the art of weaving fishing nets.

Amidst all this, her husband lost his job to the pandemic induced recession. But the loss didn’t hurt the family of four much. The lady of the house was in total control of the household income. Her husband soon joined the business and became in charge of transporting the consignments. Their business thrived, unhindered by the challenges thrown at them.

One can always steer the mind, but one can hardly steer the heart. Surely, Elema is a wise entrepreneur but her work reflects her passionate mind, engrossed in making her business a super success.

The pandemic has been a blessing in disguise for many, even though no one wanted it this way.

You may disagree with me. But the facts won’t.

In one of my blogs, I had noted how the kites business soared during the lockdowns of the COVID19 pandemic in 2020. People caught in a lockdown with no end in sight found flying kites a stress buster. This quintessential Indian way of spending time gave a boost to an industry that was in a seasonal rut.

Many other industries found a much-needed boost. One such has been the nurseries and horticultural farms.
(https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/energy-and-environment/business-of-gardening-continues-to-bloom-across-india-amid-the-pandemic/article34490033.ece)

People discovered the pleasures of gardening. Some gardening enthusiasts even started growing their vegetables. Many thought that keeping plants at home will help improve oxygen levels. Well, the last notion is up for debate but re-greening our cities and our towns is never a bad idea.

Paramita Byapari, a customer of Village Financial Services who owns a nursery, was one of those who was blessed by the sharp increase in demand for seeds and plants.

Paramita lives with her extended marital family in the village of JiratHattala Biswas Para, Hooghly. The mother of a teenage son, Paramita wanted to support her family during her lockdown when the earning members—her husband and brother-in-law—lost their daily wages to the lockdown.

Paramita realised that she needed to support her family. The crisis also allowed her to nurture her entrepreneurial dreams. On her visit to the market, Paramita saw nursery owners getting the largest number of customers after vegetable sellers and grocers.

She took three gardens on a lease and turned them into thriving nurseries, with help from her husband.

In two months, she gained a handful of loyal customers from her village. She realised the potential of the nursery amidst the lockdown when she started getting orders from outside her village, district and even state.

The demands for saplings of seasonal fruits, indoor plants and flowering plants grew and she ran out of stock before she could take in more orders. Then, Cyclone Amphan ravaged a part of her nursery. The calamity almost wiped out her income from the business. Paramita felt dejected once more.

But this time her family became her support. Her husband informed her about microfinance loans. From the women in the neighbourhood, she got acquainted with a joint liability group called Netaji. The group advised her on the process of applying for a loan from VFS.

Paramita soon became one of the most enterprising customers of VFS.

With the loan, Paramita launched her second innings. With her husband, she began restoring the damaged areas of the gardens. New species of flowering and fruit-bearing plants were added. She began reconnecting with her old customers. Some returned, some were sceptical, but returned later, nevertheless.

Paramita began nurturing her hopes again. She worked throughout the day, tending to and managing her nursery. The hard work started showing results. Her fame spread and orders started coming from nearbymarkets and far awayplaces such as Dehradun.

Life has taken a massive turning for Paramita and her family.

Two years ago, the Byapari family lived on daily wages earned by the two male members. Today, they have lived up to the meaning of the word “Byapar” (business) through Paramita. For Paramita, the pandemic gave her insights into the world of business.

How did VFS become the hope for so many aspiring women entrepreneurs in rural India?

This is a question that I get asked way more often than I can count.

My answer always remains the same: perseverance and integrity.

Working in the right direction with ethics and principles has made us a household name of trust and hope. Our executives and our women customers help us spread the boon of microfinance.

Over the decades, we have been a part of many growth stories. We nurtured many entrepreneurs from the initial days. After they took their first steps, they spread their wings and soared to new destinations.

These long-standing customers have given us valuable insights about guiding budding entrepreneurs. This continuous cycle of life has instilled a sense of belonging in our environment. My past blogs have honoured our budding entrepreneurs and their growth story. I dedicate this blog to one such veteran who has chosen us for life and has been a source of inspiration for many.

Habiba Sardar chose the Village Financial Services family for 15 years. This entrepreneur from Koloraha gave VFS a chance to change her life when the world took it away from her. Today she is thankful that she chose to strive hard with VFS instead of giving up.

Habiba, a mother of three, has been running a tailoring and garment manufacturing unit for a little more than 30 years now. Today, her manufacturing unit has become a source of livelihood for tailors in her village. While the lockdowns of the COVID19 pandemic did cast darkness in the lives around the manufacturing unit, that was temporary.

But life hadn't been a bed of roses for Habiba. Her manufacturing unit had seen days of turmoil before it saw prosperity.

Years ago, when Habiba had just arrived at her village as a new bride, the situation wasn't favourable for working women. Habiba, with a talent for stitching and knitting, had refused to bow to the societal taboos. Her husband came to her support and encouraged her to open a tailoring shop at their home.

Days turned to years, and Habiba continued to earn a small living from her shop. But soon her sales started dropping. She realised that most of her customers, who were the young women in her village didn't, have a living of their own. Most of them didn't have the luxury to earn a living because of the regressive culture that kept them in darkness forever. Habiba realised that she could not expect growth for her business when the people in her surroundingswere not growing.

Habiba decided to change the narrative that kept the talented women of her village away from prosperity. She challenged the regressive societal norms and set out on a mission to empower them. Habib realised that to grow her venture she needed capital but no one in her village was ready to give her the necessary loan.

After a long search, Habiba reached a VFS branch. And her remarkable story began.

For years, Habiba took young women from her village under her wings and trained them as expert tailors. The small manufacturing unit became a hope for the village when they finally saw what empowered women can achieve.

Customers like Habiba teach us a valuable lesson:
Wisdom comes with age, courage comes with a soul, and inspiration comes with perseverance.

The year 2020 was nothing short of a nightmare for business owners. Starting from owners of small and medium-sized businesses to large corporate houses, the COVID19 lockdowns spared none.

Yes, it was a nightmare, the one that our mothers or grandmothers used to tell us to make us shut our eyelids and fall asleep. But every night has an ending. It ends with the rising sun. When the first rays of the sun hit the soil, there is hope for a new lease of life.

With the end of the second wave of COVID-19, the outlook for most people changed completely. The pandemic had reminded us about the fleeting seconds of life. The vulnerability of our tomorrows. The existential crises, perhaps, pinched us more, coupled with the financial crises.

Every crisis forces us to act. Many were forced to re-imagine their lives, their decisions, their choices.

This was the birth of hope. As most business owners started to reconstruct their ways of doing business, many employees, workers and other stakeholders were also forced to go through the same route of decision-making. Many chose to stop being an employee and turn an entrepreneur.

Champa Rani Roy, a resident of a small village of Dansi, Dharmatala, was working in a handicraft manufacturing unit. Her work was to decorate different types of garments with glittering embroidery. Mother of a 14-year-old, Champa’s dreams were humble. She wanted a comfortable life for her family and a healthy future for her son. Her husband is a factory worker.

Life had its usual ups and downs, but the Roy family weathered them all with ease. But the March of 2020 turned their lives upside and down. During the lockdown, both Champa and her husband lost their jobs. Champa felt that the entire sky collapsed over her head. With just a few hundred rupees in her purse, she looked outside her window...

Fast forward to June 2021.

There is a long queue outside Champa’s house. Everyone is following the COVID19 distancing protocols. Each person is standing inside a circle made of chalk sticks. When one of the VFS executives went to her house, this was the scene he saw from a distance. A grocer now, Champa was busy attending to the customers. There was not a second to be spared for a breather. The VFS executive had to wait an hour before he could manage to take her interview. It was worth the wait.

Over a cup of tea, Champa began to narrate her journey from unemployment to entrepreneurship, from financial crisis to financial stability...

...with those few hundred rupees, Champa walked to the nearest grocery store. It was in the next village. The lockdown had eased, a few stores had opened, a few hadn’t. Champa took a note of the ones that were open for business and the ones that didn’t.

An idea started to take shape. What would happen if she could open her own grocery? But where would the money come from?

She met a grocery store owner and asked her how she had started. “I took a loan from VFS,” the shopkeeper replied. Champa took down the address of the nearby VFS branch and the process of taking a loan. She joined a joint liability group, Diya, where a group of women from her village had come together to take charge of their financial growth. The next thing was to apply for a loan. In a few days, Champa was one of VFS’s aspiring customers. With the capital in hand, she converted the spare room in her house into a grocery.

Since then, Champa never had to turn back to the days of darkness. For her, the grocery became her rising Sun. It was the birth of an entrepreneur.

Last Saturday, the nation ended five days of Diwali revelry with the celebration of the affectionate bonds between brothers and sisters.

Bhai Dooj, Bhaubeej, Bhai Tika or Bhai Phonta—the names differs from region to region but the prayers remain the same... “May my brother live a long prosperous life”. It is the devotion of sisters that shieldstheir brothers from harm. Bhai Dooj, in which girls and women put tilaks on their brothers and pray for their long life, strengthens sibling bonds.

There are many legends surrounding this Hindu festival.

According to one legend, Yamuna, the twin sister of Yamaraj, the Lord of Death, yearned to meet her brother and he came to see her. She greeted him with sweets, put a tilak (a sacred mark on the forehead), and served a sumptuous feast. Yamaraj was so moved by his sister's devotion and care that he announced that a brother who receives tilak from his sister on Bhratri Dwitiya will never have to visit hell.

In Bengal, the sing-song lyrical prayers uttered by sisters while putting the tilak go somewhat like this:
“As I mark my brother’s forehead,
I put a barrier in front of Yamraj’s door.
Wherever my brother visits
May he always be blessed with beautiful flowers and the aroma of sandalwood.”

During my journey of driving the mission and vision of Village Financial Services to empower Indian women as entrepreneurs, I have realised that it is not people like us who empower them; It is the women who empower us.

Scrolling through the stories of empowerment that we helped write during our microfinance journey, I have realised that it is the inspiration of our women borrowers, their prayers and their faith that make VFS executives embrace challenges and kindle the entrepreneurial spark.

Without the prayers and hope from our women customers, our journey would have been a futile exercise. We at VFS have drawn courage and strength from the tales of women going from the ordinary to the extraordinary.

Without the handholding support that our sisters got from their brothers (the VFS executives), the entrepreneurial journeys would have not started. Nor would VFS have become one of the most reputable microfinance institutions.

Another legend has it that Lord Krishna, after defeating the demon Narakasura, was given a grand reception by his sister Subhadra. As a protective mark, Subhadra put a tilak on Lord Krishna's forehead.

In our reality, it is our Subhadras who defeat the demon of poverty and unemployment, whereas our brothers, our executives, guide them in their journey towards victory with the weapon of microfinance.

VFS celebrates the sacred bond between the brothers and sisters every day. Touching nearly 500,000 people with the prosperity and financial stability of microfinance, I have realised that this feat has been possible because of the symbiotic bond of mutual trust and handheld co-growth between our inspiring women customers and hardworking executives.

There is no doubt that the prayers of our sisters have the power to save lives from the jaws of hell. With this confidence, I vow that VFS will go on guiding our sisters and empowering them in their journey towards financial prosperity.

If you want to see the beauty of unity in diversity, you must let your spirit explore the festival of Diwali.

The history of Diwali is as diverse as the culture of India. For many, it is the celebration of the homecoming of Lord Rama. The exile of 14 years ended with the intense battle in Lanka. In the war, the demonic forces of Ravanafell before the forces of Lord Rama. Following Ram’s homecoming, Ayodhya’speople rejoiced by lighting up rows of lamps.

The word Diwalidraws its meaning from "rows of light". This celebration of homecoming has passed down the ages and has spread all over the world.

In southern parts of India, Diwali marks the victory of Lord Krishna over the demon of Narakasura. In the eastern region, it is the victory of Goddess Kali over the demonic Asuras.

Amongst the Jain community, Diwali marks the passing commemoration of the 24th Tirthankara Mahavira and his attainment of Moksha. In Sikhism, it celebrates the release of the sixth guru, Guru Hargobind, from imprisonment.

I can go on and on, writing about the historical variation associated with Diwali. My point is to show that we may differ in our causes but we are united in our celebration. Each of us celebrates this day by illuminating our homes and our hearts. Diyas and candles brighten up our houses while hope and courage enlighten our souls.

The past 20 months or so have been a long arduous struggle against COVID-19. The second wave had cast a pall over the country. While many fought for life, many fought a waragainst poverty and unemployment.

In the darkness, our frontline workers toiled day and night to keep us safe and alive. Doctors, nurses, medical staff, NGOs and health workers put their life at risk to save as many as they can. Some they saved, some they could not. The devastating picture broke our hearts. Our police personnel, government officials, and every member from the essential services made our life of comfort their priority instead of their own life. Words and accolades will fail to convey our gratitude for their service in this crucial phase.

Every dark night can be illuminated with light.

We all must agree, amidst all of this, our MSME entrepreneurs have suffered the most. The lockdowns have surely been a nightmare for most of them. But it also gave them time to sit and re-focus, re-develop and reset their goals. Thus, with the ‘Unlock’ when they came back to their stations, there was a renewed spirit as they reinvented their ways of doing business.

In other words, they underwent a digital metamorphosis and emerged as Global Entrepreneurs.

I had always emphasised that the pandemic, with all its drawbacks and negatives, is a learning curve. Hurdles are not full stops but pauses in our ways, to make us ready to embrace the future.

I am glad to witness that our young generation has stepped up to the crease with confidence.

Diwali 2020 was a hope for a better future.

In Diwali 2021 the future is here, illuminated with ambitions and innovations.

Remember when we were all going through the most terrible and trying moment of our lives? We plunged into the troubled waters with clenched jaws and dreams of better days. Then there was the first taste of success.

That was the moment all our back-breaking and nerve-wracking efforts were rewarded. That is perhaps a moment worth capturing.

That initial taste of success leaves some of us thirsting for more. Some of us work non-stop to attain more. The initial taste of victory has set off a chain reaction of cravings that propels us toward our higher goals.

The day Rita was promoted to Class 7, she had her first ice cream. It was a milky bar on a stick. Her father was overjoyed with her performance, and as a reward, she was given a sweet that had just arrived from the city.

At her age, the happy girl did not realise that life isn't always sweet.

A year later, stricken with unemployment, Rita's father had to take the toughest decision of his daughter's life. She was made to drop out of school. While the parents pondered how to keep the family afloat, little Rita craved education and ice cream.

Days turned into years. Rita found herself in newer roles. First of a wife, then of a mother. Responsibilities started piling up. The carefree young girl had turned into a woman who took care of the Pal household.

The robes she donned changed, but her yearning remained the same. At that time, one had to leave the village of Nalpur and travel to the nearest town to enjoy ice cream.

Rita did have ice-cream even after the day she had her first, but with every bite, she was reminded of all the children in her village who had to take this arduous journey for a sweet taste of childhood.

The child in her appealed to her motherhood. The mother in her gave birth to the entrepreneur.

The idea germinated into a desire and the desire culminated inaction.

Rita, on the advice of her elders in the village, found herself heading for the Village Financial Services branch. Crossing the threshold of the branch office, Rita made her decision clear. She was going to bring ice-creams, chocolates and candies to the children of Nalpur.

The day she opened the gates of her new shop, the children rushed inside. They marvelled at the sight of the gleaming, white cold storage. One nudged the other with curiosity. Rita pulled up the lid and a cold mist escaped from the white container. She pulled out a frozen pink cup and handed it down to the girl standing nearby.

The taste was met with a loud cheer. Happiness spread like wildfire. Even the adults joined the huge line of customers. To top it all, event orders for ice creams started flowing in.

The village of Nalpur tasted the sweet joy of childhood. The new entrepreneur of Nalpur tasted the sweet taste of success. It had inspired her next move. The profits were reinvested to expand the line of business. The ice cream shop turned into a grocery store.

From dawn to dusk, her store is now packed with customers. The entrepreneurial initiative had motivated scores of young women in the small village of Nalpur. Many turned their hobbies into occupations.

Dramatist George Bernard Shaw wrote, "Happy is the man who can make a living by his hobby."

I say, happy is the village that lets its women turn their passion into careers. Because when our women taste success, it transforms the lives of future generations.

Maa Durga never leaves her children alone. Bidding farewell is not symbolic of her retreat. Rather, its significance lies in our ability to leave behind the mistakes of the past and move forward with the lessons.

The story of Gita Malakar is the perfect embodiment of the proverb “Failuresare the Pillars of Success”.

A resident of Azimganj, Gita is a mother of two. Last year was a year of upheavals for Gita.

Her husband, Sukumar, was a daily labourer. The Malakar family was dependent on his daily wages. One of their childrenwas preparing for the school-final examinations. The government told all schools to shut down and announced a countrywide lockdown by the end of March. Sukumar had to stay indoors with his family, without his wages. The family lost its only source of money. The parents worried about making ends meet while the children were losing school time.

Survival was the priority.

Gita realised she needed to get her family out of poverty and hunger.

She started a tea stall with a loan from a neighbour. She got the courtyard wall demolished and built a shed for the tea stall. Customers trickled in, and Gita’s family finally had some income.

Two months passed,but Gita noticed that customers had not grown to her expectations. Rather, the business was eating up her savings. Her frustration turned to desolation, and she decided to close her tea shop and support her family by selling her gold ornaments. It was her last bid at survival.

Destiny had a different plan. On her way to the gold shop, Gita’s saw the signboard of Village Financial Services. She recalled her sister’s account of VFS and how it had helped her start her business.

Gita decided to step into the branch.

Since that day, her life has taken a turn for the best.

VFS not only assisted her with a loan but gave her the most crucial aspect of entrepreneurship: insight. Why not put the shop in a better location, VFS suggested. Gita used the loan to move her tea stall from her courtyard to a nearby highway bus stop.

Her tea stall was now next to dhabas and souvenir shops. From day one, customers poured in. The mounting losses were converted into increasing profits with some to spare.

The family could finally eat two meals a day in peace. Gita was successful in saving her gold and repaying her neighbour’s loan. With the new mobile phone, the children were able to take online classes.

Sukumar changed careers and began working at his wife’s tea stall.

He fetches the raw materials such as tea leaf, milkand biscuits. Every day, at the crack of dawn, the couple arrives at their stall, cleans all the containers, refills them, and starts the stove for the tea. The aroma of boiling tea fills the air.

The tea stall has become popular among commuters, truckers, and tourists.

Gita, inspired by the success of her first venture and now armed with business acumen, has begun to plan her next venture with the help of VFS. It was her failure that gave her the experience towards establishing a successful venture. She sets an example for us.

Drawbacks are not just hurdles but lessons on the journey towards fulfilment.

Greetings of Durga Pujas!

This year’s puja festival is turning out to be wonderful, especially after last year’s dreary one. This time, many of us have been vaccinated against COVID19.

But we must not let down our guard. We must continue to wear masks —proper ones that cover our nose, mouth, and chin. In public, we must maintain a physical distance of two meters or six feet from others.

Last year, we recommended that you celebrate Durga Puja at home. This year, we are urging you to celebrate with caution. Please be responsible at all times. Not just for yourself, but for others as well.

My heartfelt gratitude to all doctors, nurses, public health professionals, frontline staff and government officials for the unprecedented number of people vaccinated. But let us not forget that the country continues to record COVID-19 positive patients daily. Being completely oblivious to reality will be a tragic mistake.

The threat of the third wave looms big. The reality cannot be ignored.

Coronavirus is constantly mutating, producing numerous variations such as alpha, beta, gamma, delta. Vaccination will assist us in either avoiding infection or dealing with the symptoms of infection. However, the vaccination is effective only against existing viral mutations. We never know which mutant awaits us. The mutations can only be halted if we don’t leave any room for chance and stick to the protocols.

Let us also remind ourselves that there are children and teens under the age of 18 who are yet to be vaccinated. They remain vulnerable to the lethal Coronavirus. As a result, we must continue to adhere to safety precautions. The second wave’s onslaught has left many people bereaved and scarred. Those gloomy days should not return at any cost, especially not for any callous attitude during the festivals.

Amidst the revelry, many are fighting the infection. Let us also be compassionate. One of the most humanitarian aspects of Indian festivities is inclusiveness. Make sure that our neighbours or near and dear ones who cannot attend the celebration are included in the pleasant moments while keeping a safe distance.

The social gap is physical rather than mental. The distance is of the bodies, not the heart. If your neighbour is isolated, be mindful of their needs and their hearts. Help them with the required necessities. Food occupies a big part of the celebration. Share the joy with them.

Durga Puja and Dussehra are about more than just good triumphing over evil. It also has to do with harmony and oneness. Mahisashur was defeated by the combined force of Devi Durga’s manifestations. In the victory against Lanka, the heaven, human, and animal realms came together. Hence, let us be unified in the spirit of festivities and our action against the pandemic.

Maa Durga will leave on a palanquin. The Goddess’s departure on a palanquin is widely thought to prophesy an imminent disease or epidemic. This time, I am hoping that it takes the pandemic with it.

As a last reminder, this is the second time we celebrate the grand festivals in the pandemic. We all are aware of what to do and what not. Last time we might have left some lacuna. And we learnt of its outcome.

So, this time let’s put those learnings into action. Make sure that we enjoy ourselves responsibly and safely.

“Where there is a will, there’s a way.”

This well-known proverb has been around for centuries, but most store it in their basket of proverbs and could write an essay on it. But some live and breathe the words of this proverb every day. Sarita Devi of Jharkhand is one such woman.

Being born in a family that valued female literacy, Sarita could study up to Class 10 before orthodox society started frowning. The fact that she wrote the first board examination caused many of her village’s elders to look down on her. While the men pestered her father with questions about her future, the women sneered at her whenever she ventured out of the house.

But Sarita wore her confidence and determination like armour. She swore that if not her, then her children would accomplish her dreams, not just for her but for every girl told not to fly too high. She will fight the demons of her society as Devi Durga did.

Years have rolled by, Sarita, a wife and a mother of three has realised her dreams and accomplished something far greater.

Her sons are in high school, and her daughter, the pride and joy of her dreams, is a graduate prepping for competitive exams.

Reaching this peak had taken years of hard work for Sarita and her husband, who has a fruit shop.

But Sarita did not stop here; she wanted to become an entrepreneur. She had the will, and she found the means at the Village Financial Services branch in Deoghar.

This time, she had to face the prejudice tainting a woman with her own business and source of income. She roped in some friends and became part of a JLG named Pradhumna.

Sarita launched her garment and cosmetics shop. Her village did not have any shops selling good clothes or cosmetics. People like her had to visit nearby towns or wait for a seasonal fair to deck up for special occasions.

Sarita stocked her shop with a wide range of apparel from Madhupur and cosmetics from Dhanbad. She soon had a clutch of regular customers, many from nearby villages. Her store survived the lockdowns of the COVID19 pandemic in 2020.

While listening to Sarita’s story, I realised that some people live every word of the proverb because it is their second nature. Their strength is drawn not just from talent but their will.

Every year, the Durga Puja festival showcases the skills of Bengal’s sculptors, artisans and potters. Sculpting idols of the deities has been a traditionally nurtured art has crossed the ages and gone beyond the boundaries of land and sea.

Such is the fame of our sculptors, not only those from Kumortuli or Potters’ Colony in Kolkata, but also from other parts of state, that community puja organisers from distant lands place special orders for idols.

VFS has been fortunate enough to be the source of strength for many women sculptors. A visit to their workshops becomes a trip into history.

Sumitra Debi Pandit, a VFS customer, makes idols, figurines, birds and animals. Born into a potter’s family, Sumitra had a thorough knowledge of the art of making such small idols.

When Sumitra got married, her new residence was Panchudanga in Purulia. While Purulia is famed for its culture and the Chhau dance, its residents lack access to formal financial institutions.

Sumitra and her husband, a potter himself, had led a humble life with their son and daughter. After the wedding of their daughter, the Pandit family found themselves in debt. This cast a shadow over their son’s education.

Although Sumitra had the expertise to make dolls and figurines, they did not have the capital to scale up. With much apprehension, the Sumitra and her husband visited the railway town of Adra. While walking around, a banner caught their eye. It was outside the Village Financial Services branch. She stepped inside to ask for more details. She came out a VFS customer. Very soon, she was taken into a JLG and the loan sanctioned.

Thus was born a new sculptor in town, whose small idols of Lord Ganesha, Goddess Lakshmi and Lord Hanuman became the talk of the town. Not just idols. Her small animal figures, decorative terracotta Diwali lamps became much sought after products.

The Pandit couple worked round the year to meet the demand for their clay toys and other items at the fairs that were held during the festival season.

The result had been more than rewarding. They cleared all debts, saved money for their son’s higher education and most importantly, could finally live the reality of financial stability.

One feeling that pops up in my interactions with VFS clients is “amazement”. Our women entrepreneurs have been treating the pandemic, the economic instability and future uncertainties like a walk on the beach. But this is just my opinion; I am sure that this was the outcome of iron-willed determination and labour.

The COVID19 lockdowns have hurt numerous industries, some more severely than others. Some have managed to get back on their feet; others have set a new course. However, one industry has been quietly increasing revenues, particularly during the lockdown.

On September 3, 2020, the BBC website published an article captioned “India’s kite-makers see sales fly during lockdown.”(1)

During the lockdown, some people sang on their balconies, started blogs or vlogs or rediscovered their hobbies. Many Indians found themselves flying kites on their terraces. According to the BBC article, a kite trader from Delhi saw stocks worth Rs 1.50 lakh sell out in one day, by the evening of March 25, when India went into its first lockdown.

In India, people usually fly kites around Makar Sankranti, Independence Day, Pongal, Basant Panchami and Vishwakarma Puja. The lockdown altered the entire routine.

Recently, I had a chance to ask one of my customers about kite sales. Samina Bibi, a kite-maker from Barddhaman in West Bengal, agreed that sales had soared.

When Samina was contacted by VFS’s headquarters, she had just returned home after despatching an order. It was a big consignment destined for another state. Samina had never imagined selling kites outside her hometown, let alone another state.

The lockdown had not been kind to everyone. Samima’s husband was forced to shutter his tailoring shop. For the first time, he had to worry about making ends meet.

Samina, on the other hand, saw sales of kites soar. Orders kept pouring in. She had been making kites for 20 years and had never seen such robust sales.

Samima now needed money to buy raw materials on a large scale. She went to the nearby branch of Village Financial Services and applied for a loan.

The extra cash helped her meet demand. Her husband helped her make the kites and fetch raw materials. As the lockdowns ended, he saw how Samina’s entrepreneurship had helped the family survive. Their son, who was in college, did not have to stop his studies.

As I read more such reports of how Indian kite-makers find their kites flying in the skies over Canada or the USA or in our neighbouring countries, I wish that VFS customers, like Samina, find themselves tasting success in international markets.

(1) https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-53984915

In India, the livestock sector contributes 4.5 per cent to the GDP and about 30 per cent to the GDP from the agriculture sector. (https://krishi.outlookindia.com/story/pastoralists-original-livestock-keepers-of-civilisation-pushed-to-margins/392261)

In most cases, it is found that the women do the lion’s share of work in the sector. From rearing to taking care of the animals, rural Indian women play an active role alongside their menfolk.

But do they get their due? Not just in the form of recognition or praise or applause. What about the financial reward for her hard work?

Goat farming remains one of the least recognised sector in the agriculture economy, and awareness of the role of women remains low.

Executives of Village Financial Services called up one of our budding entrepreneurs who has been doing well rearing goats. Rimpa Manna was hurrying to the nearest VFS branch at Pancharul in Howrah.

Rimpa has been a valuable customer of VFS who is completing her 3rd loan cycle and is planning to apply for the next step in the loan scheme. A resident of Shibpur village, Rimpa has been looking after her husband’s livestock business for the last few years. Rimpa’s husband has gladly let her take the reins from him as she is more suited for the job. But this transfer of power came after a lot of hardships.

Bablu Manna had been keen to rear farm animals as a teenager. Guided by village elders, Bablu stepped into livestock farming right after high school. The initial success had given Bablu the confidence to move ahead with other life decisions. Rimpa, his wife, had been a constant and supportive partner in all his life decisions. Ups and downs, they continued to weather it all. Until tragedy struck.

One morning, Bablu woke up to the news that some farm animals in the village had died overnight. It was strange flu that affected goats and cattle. His goats were also affected, although they did not show it that day. As the days passed, his goats died one by one. Bablu was shattered. The debts mounted, and so did the stress on the household. The parents began to think of pulling their children out of school.

Rimpa was heartbroken but not broken in spirit. The mother in her knew that she had to turn fate for her husband and her children. Rimpa stepped in and decided to restart the business.

On a neighbour’s advice, she went to the VFS office at Pancharul and applied for a loan. The money in the bank boosted her confidence, and she took a series of steps.

She went to a nearby village, where a livestock sale was being held. Rimpa realised it was better to pick an animal she had handled. She returned with a female goat in her arms.

On that day, Rimpa became an independent goat farmer. Her tribe of goats multiplied and fetched a decent income when she sold a goat for meat.

Bablu saw how Rimpa was proving a better businessperson than him. He was proud of his wife’s success. Most importantly, the children would not have to drop out of school.

One of the biggest boons of microfinance has been securing a healthy life for the future generation. Through mothers like Rimpa, many children today are assured of education, which gives them more economic opportunities.

When Jaba applied for the loan, she was determined to show that a woman could do better in business than men. And bring good luck to the family!

Microfinance has not only been an economic tool to overcome poverty and economic instability. It is also a social tool to encourage gender equality. Village Financial Services lends only to women, and I have seen the hurdles they overcome to achieve financial independence and their entrepreneurial dreams.

Poverty and social stigma around female education made Jaba’s family take her out of school after she completed Class 8. Most girls in her village were married off early and watched their potential die in some dark corner of their homes. Jaba was married into a family of flower growers. Her in-laws owned a garden that bloomed with marigolds, hibiscus and butterfly pea. Her mother had warned her to keep herself confined to the kitchen and be mindful of her words and actions.

Jaba heeded her mother’s words and confined her talent to the kitchen. But whenever she looked out of the kitchen window, she could see the large field of marigold owned by her in-laws. The flowers bloomed as her dreams of doing something useful withered. She saw herself, chained and caged amidst a garden full of flowers. But she continued to hope for better days, especially when her daughter was born.

Then came the first setback. Just when the garden was in full bloom, the government announced the lockdown to check the spread of COVID-19. The flowers were ready to be transported from her village, Gohamikocha, to the city of Jamshedpur. But the lockdown took all but essential transport off the roads and the crop withered.

The income of her husband’s family took a hit. Her brother-in-law, who was a migrant worker, was trapped in a distant state by the lockdown. Her aged in-laws said Jaba’s infant daughter had brought bad luck to the family.

Jaba was enraged. The mother in her revolted against the way her daughter was being blamed. Her anger gave way to action. As soon as the government relaxed the lockdown, Jaba stepped out of her house. With her infant daughter cradled in her arms, she headed for the nearest branch of VFS. Her sister, who was married into a family near the city, had opened a grocery store with a loan from VFS. Jaba followed in her sister’s footsteps and applied for a loan to rescue their family business.

In this journey, she found the most unlikely support. Her husband accompanied her. He yearned to get the family out of poverty and social regression. But, while the lockdown had eased, transport was still a problem.

Jaya and her husband began to work in the fields. The VFS loan helped them buy a motorcycle. Now they could deliver flowers to the traders in Jamshedpur, travel to a bigger village for fertilisers, seeds and tools. The motorcycle became a boon for the family.

Soon, traders in the market began depending on the couple for their timely supplies of fresh flowers, and the couple had a steady income. The new financial freedom helped Jaba and her family survive the onslaught of the second wave and the subsequent lockdown without a tinge of worry.

As they spoke to VFS’s executives, Jaba said her success has prompted her to expand the area under flowers and maybe even open a stall in the market with another loan.

Financial inclusion has been a long-cherished dream. Access to financial services with financial literacy is a critical tool for comprehensive sustainable development. Economic progress leads to a better quality of life.

In our effort to change lives through financial inclusion and entrepreneurial empowerment, we have frequently witnessed business success translating into increased school enrollment. The positive impact of financial inclusion does not stop there. With increased financial support, VFS’ customers have reached out to get better health care, housing, and sanitation facilities. The success of the entrepreneurs has led to the creation of jobs.

The benefits of microfinance have been manifold. By bringing low-income populations within the framework of the formal banking sector, financial inclusion has also ensured security from exploitation. One common scenario earlier was of money lenders and Ponzi schemes exploiting disadvantaged and vulnerable sections of people.

Things are looking up. The Reserve Bank of India said on August 17 that its Financial Inclusion Index for the period ending March 2021 was 53.9, against 43.4 for the period ending March 2017.

As we continue to pursue VFS’s goal of lifting rural women out of poverty and empowering them financially, I come across scores of stories that strengthen my resolve to pursue this dream of financial inclusion. Subhangini Adak, a VFS customer from Balasore district in Odisha, is one such example.

Subhangini grew up in acute poverty and had to quit her studies after Class 7. Subhangini never dared to dream big but just prayed for the day when she would not have any financial worries. After marriage, Subhangini hoped that her days would change, but her husband was a contractual farm labourer and could not help much. Over the years, as the couple struggled financially, Subhangini became a mother of two.

Motherhood is a great force. Looking at her children’s faces, Subhangini vowed to fight poverty by herself.

Farmers in her village Kumarmuli have been growing betel leaf or paan for generations. But Subhangini observed that the young generation was more likely to go for blue-collar jobs than continue growing betel leaf. As the scarcity of betel leaves worsened, she saw an opportunity.

On a neighbour’s advice, Subhangini contacted the Chandaneswar branch of Village Financial Services. With the loan, Subhangini could buy her boroj, a sort of conservatory in which the betel vine is grown. With hard work and rock-solid determination, she was able to secure a good harvest. Subhangini was supported by her husband, who brought his expertise in farming to Subhangini’s boroj. Subhangini was able to sell her produce with a healthy profit margin. The first harvest provided the family of four with much-needed motivation and hope for the future.

Her first priority after the sale was to support her children’s education. She made certain that her children did not have to abandon their studies, as she had. Then there was their house. During the monsoon, the roof leaked. She had the roof replaced.

As ’Subhangini’s financial situation improved, she addressed her childhood worries. One of them was her mother’s asthma. She was now able to afford the medical bills and provide better care for her.

Now, with all her concerns addressed, the entrepreneur in Subhangini wants to grow more. Her current success has fueled her desire to expand her business, and she hopes to acquire another boroj by next year.

My last blog was about the impact of climate change and how we can shift our focus from single-use plastics to environmentally friendly and sustainable options such as bamboo products. But you may ask, what about other products made of plastic? Aren’t they polluting the environment as well?

Most importantly, what about the small-scale businesses that make single-use plastic products? A ban on single-use plastic products such as bags, straws, cutlery and so on will hit lives and the businesses around such products.

The question is, what should be our priority—Climate change or livelihoods? The answer is both. We cannot turn a blind eye to the intensified impact of climate change or ignore the livelihoods associated with single-use plastics.

But one can surely diversify, re-imagine and re-invent, and most importantly, adopt a better, sustainable mode of business. We can, with some effort, change our line of business for better opportunities for ourselves and healthier options for everyone else.

In Maharashtra, a group of 12 specially-abled people made rakhis out of bamboo. This kept them gainfully employed. Since last year, the government’s effort to boost indigenous handicrafts, with special reference to sustainable products, has helped Indian-made rakhis beat mass-produced foreign products.

Proactive environmental conservation coupled with the government initiative to boost sustainable, traditional crafts will surely drive positive action against climate change. But the onus is not just with organizations and the government but also with us. The real change will come from a change in mindset. Jute bags or plastic bags? Bamboo baskets or plastic baskets? The choice lies with us.

When Minati Hansda’s nephew chose to leave the family business of bamboo handicrafts to work in a factory, everyone in the family was saddened. The bright young man had no hopes for the family’s bamboo handicraft business. He thought it was old, redundant and irrelevant. The fast life of technology and chemicals (even if toxic) was the real deal for him. Following his footsteps, the other children in Minati’s family started showing a similar disdain for their bamboo handicraft business.

But the disdain didn’t stay for long.

When the government announced lockdowns to check the COVID19 pandemic, the economic and financial landscape changed and forced many to rethink their way of living and thinking. An increase in the number and frequency of cyclones made people look closely at global warming and environmental damage.

The children in Minati’s household also felt this change. Her nephew, realizing the power in the call of “Vocal for local”, returned to his small village of Majlishbag in West Bengal’s Maldah district. But, by this time, the family’s bamboo handicrafts business had suffered huge losses because the lockdowns had taken away their biggest chunk of customers—the villagers who used to throng the fairs.

The art had come down to Minati from her parents. Minati dreamt of expanding the operations and passing her knowledge down to the children. But she had no capital.

Minati’s nephew knew that his expertise and his aunt’s talent could revive the business. In this journey, Village Financial Services became a proud partner.

With a loan from VFS, Minati and her nephew accelerated operations once the lockdown was lifted. The loan money helped Minati transport her bamboo products to markets in nearby villages and towns.

Minati now despatches products to markets around the year, not just during the season of country fairs. Most importantly, with her nephew, she was able to gain the trust of her future generations for the family business. Today, as she spoke about her journey with our VFS customer executive, she recalls how her father used to say that all they have gained is because Mother Earth was benevolent to them.

The climate crisis is real. We have caused it, and we must fix it. “The evidence is irrefutable: greenhouse gas emissions are choking our planet & placing billions of people in danger,” António Guterres, United Nations Secretary-General, said at the release of the latest report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change on August 9.

Two years ago, he had said the climate emergency is a race we are losing, but it is a race we can win.

The signs are everywhere: from wildfires to massive glacial meltdown to increased cyclones and a record rise in global temperature. We cannot close our eyes to our new normal. Not the one with the COVID19 pandemic but the one with the reality of climate emergency.

While some governments have been proactive, only consolidated public support and mass action can win a race that can be won.

The Indian government’s August 13 notification banning the manufacture, sale and use of single-use plastic items from July 2022 was a much-needed action. The havoc created by single-use plastic items is beyond comprehension. The Great Pacific garbage patch is an example of the indiscriminate and unconscionable use of plastics.

Alternatives to plastics such as cotton, jute, bamboo, coconut shells and paper have been used in India for a long time. Our cottage industries make environment-friendly biodegradable products. We just need to rediscover the traditional, eco-friendly handicrafts and support our cottage industries. Our country has no dearth of talented craftsmen; what they lack is the right support.

When Soma Nama came to the Village Financial Services branch at Sabroom in Tripura, she wasn’t hopeful of getting a loan. She was apprehensive about whether her business of bamboo products will ever get financial assistance from us. But VFS heard her out and felt that she would succeed. Soma left the branch as a happy customer and a hopeful entrepreneur.

Soma and her husband had been weaving bamboo baskets and rice-dusting trays for many years now. It had been a family tradition that was passed down to them by their elders. The bamboo baskets are sturdy, durable and most importantly, biodegradable and free of harmful chemicals. Their light wood colour gives them an earthy aesthetic charm. The rice-cleaning bamboo trays are also used in religious ceremonies and festivals, especially in eastern India.

Soma made products of a quality that was rare to find in the area. People from her village were her regular customers. But her reach was limited to her small village. She was not left with much of a profit. She realised that to increase her sales, she needed to sell in the town markets. To ramp up production and pay for the logistics, she needed some capital.

But who would give her the capital? In a village of artisans, farmers and vegetable sellers, getting financial assistance was a difficult task. The village did not even have a proper moneylender.

Her sister-in-law insisted that she give the VFS branch in Sabroom a try. That was all it needed, a try...

Her sleepless nights ended when she left the VFS branch office with the assurance that her loan would be credited to her new bank account.

With the loan, Soma was able to buy bamboo strips in bulk. Her husband got involved full time in weaving the baskets and bamboo trays. Soon, they had built up a huge pile of products. Enough to take to the market. They hired a small truck.

They had already spoken to a trader in the market, who bought the entire lot at an attractive price. After that first sale, Soma never had to look back. Her business is thriving.

Soma knows nothing much about the science of global warming or the debate. She has never heard of Guterres.

But she knows her baskets will last for years. When they are beyond repair, they will be thrown away and rot gracefully without polluting the environment. Soon, there will be no trace of the basket.

But Soma will still be making bamboo products. She even plans to diversify her range with more help from VFS. Goodbye, plastics crates and trays.

Each Olympic Games gives us legends. The legends may or may not have won medals or even qualified for the quarterfinals. But they are still legends. Because they dared to brave the odds and reach the stage. Because they persevered, putting that effort and commitment, day after day, behind the dream of the Olympics.

The ultimate reward of the medal doesn’t make them champions. Their journey does.

Italian high jumper Gianmarco Tamberi and his Qatari rival Mutaz Essa Barshim created history at the Tokyo Olympics 2020 when they asked an official if they could have two gold medals for the same event after several failed tiebreakers. And the official said yes.

Of course, there was a celebration of brotherhood. But that is not what makes Tamberi and Barshim special. It’s their journey to the stage that does...

In 2016, Tamberi had arrived at Rio for the Olympics, but tragedy struck just a few days before the competition kicked off. Tamberi broke his ankle. Reduced from a participant to a teary-eyed spectator, Tamberi thought nothing could be worse than this...but there was. Later, doctors informed him that the severity of the injury could end his career as a high jumper.

Tamberi made sure that fate bowed to the strength of his perseverance. He wrote ’Road to Tokyo 2020’ on his plaster cast. When the pandemic postponed the Games, he crossed out the year and wrote in red ’2021’. The cast lay on the track after his gold.

In Kolkata, I came across a similar story of perseverance.

Mamta Mahato made fate bow to her perseverance. An apparel shop owner in Raghunathpur, Mamta is busy with expansion plans today and has a second store in mind. Something that she could not have imagined three years back.

Mamta had started a clothes store as a mother of three to bring some financial stability to her family. Initially, the shop drew customers. But as competition grew, Mamta’s store started losing customers. After a year and a half, her business losing money, and she got into debt.

She debated whether to lease out the shop or shut it down. The thought of giving up years of hard work was devastating. Mamta clung to the shop, praying for the best.

Her prayers were answered...

One day, while walking to her shop, she saw a freshly painted signboard atop a new office. The man behind the counter looked familiar. Mamta realised it was her classmate. Mamata dropped in, and they got chatting. The friend explained that he was in microfinance, and the office was of Village Financial Services. He also explained what microfinance is all about.

Mamta saw hope again. A week later, she was at the VFS branch, applying for a loan.

That was the beginning of Mamta’s second innings.

With the loan, Mamta decided to stock her shop with a new variety of clothes and keep abreast of fashion trends. She visited the leading outlets in Kolkata and did some market research.

By the next month, Mamta’s store was stocked with trendy clothes and attracted a rush of customers.

Every month, her husband visits Kolkata and brings in fresh stocks. Mamta’s clothes store has become a sought-after destination ahead of any festival or occasion. Within a year, Mamta found herself thinking of employing some shop assistants.

The journey has just started for Mamta and the better days are ahead.

Unless you are someone who thoroughly enjoys the sedentary life of a recluse, caged within the four walls of your home, last year was perhaps the worst year of this century. Children missed their first day at school and then for months their classroom experience. A virtual make-belief world of primary days was painted, and they believed it. Senior students missed the experience of board exams, first day of college, the canteen adda. Most devastating was the rise in the number of school drop-outs. Education systems around the globe were severely disrupted.

“At the peak of the crisis, UNESCO data showed that over 1.6 billion learners in more than 190 countries were out of school.” — One year into COVID-19 education disruption: Where do we stand? - UNESCO

As for the grown-ups, many faced the impact of COVID-19 in the harshest way possible: job cuts or loss of business. In my previous blogs, I reached out to readers who were desperately looking for hope, ideas, motivations, and a light in the darkness. If any of the blogs have positively impacted someone, even if that is one person, I shall consider my labours fruitful.

Don’t give up. The call to say “it’s over” lies with you and not with that letter of termination or eviction. If you can start once, then you can start again. If Ranu Yadav can make it, so can you.

Ranu Yadav walked into the VFS branch in Itarsi, Madhya Pradesh, near her village, to take a loan. That was last year. With the COVID-19 lockdowns, the year turned out to be bad for most of us. But women like Ranu knew how to turn it into their favour. The year started with bad news for Ranu, from losing relatives to the coronavirus pandemic to suffering financial loss. Her husband saw his income shrink as sales of his business dried up. The couple considered mortgaging Ranu’s gold jewellery at the local pawnshop. Like many pawnshops, this one, too, was notorious for duping people.

Although the need was pressing, the couple did not let their desperation get the best of them. They looked out for other means of a real income, with Ranu’s husband calling up relatives near and far for distributorships or partnerships. But even that entailed the question of capital. There were many opportunities, but the couple lacked the means to seize them.

The search went on for two months. Their five-year-old son waited to start school. While many of his friends did join the online classes, Ranu’s son stayed behind as the virtual class would require devices and internet connectivity, which meant mounting expenses.

Their neighbour opposite their house was looking for a tenant for a shed. Ranu knew that something needed to be done. Her only source of strength was her belief in herself and her conviction in turning things around. And this made all the difference.

Ranu was aware of the presence of the VFS branch in Itarsi, although she had never been to a bank. She decided to give herself a chance. With her identity papers, Ranu made her way to the VFS office. The rest was taken care of with the right assistance and proper guidance.

A week later, the VFS office called her with the good news: her loan application had been approved, and the money was soon in her new bank account. All she now needed was to negotiate the rent of the shed with the teacher. She was prepared with a map of her entrepreneurial journey. The shed soon became her kirana, and soon her verandah became the makeshift classroom for her son.

As Ranu nears the first anniversary of her kirana, she reflects how one year of hardship prepared her for a future of financial stability. Last year was perhaps the worst year, but that doesn’t mean that this year will be the same. The decision to turn it around lies with us.

What a promising July it has been for us! On the very first day of the Tokyo Olympics 2020, weightlifter Saikhom Mirabai Chanu won a silver medal in the Women’s 49 kg and lifted all our spirits. In the same breath of optimism, C.A. Bhavani Devi became the first Indian representative in fencing in the history of the Olympics.

In the everyday world, India’s merchandise exports shot up by 47.34% to $32.46 billion in June, compared with June 2020. Union Minister Piyush Goyal affirmed that “Exports during April-June period are the highest-ever merchandise exports in a quarter in the history of India.”

While July gives us hope, there is talk of a third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in August. But this time, let’s take a lesson from our past and be prepared to tackle it. Let’s make sure that our country stays safe and healthy to keep up the momentum of positivity.

Let’s do this for all the aspiring Mirabai Chanus or Bhavani Devis waiting to take to the tracks with a fresh mind and a healthy body. Let’s do this for our handloom industry, which celebrates its glorious legacy on August 7 every year.

Let’s do this for Kabita, who dreams of her tant sarees reaching the fashion capitals of the world in the spring-summer collections.

Tant sarees, light lengths of cotton fabric, have long been the pride of Bengali women on either side of the Ganga/Padma River. It is said that the fame of Jamdani tant adversely impacted the textile industry of Britain during the Industrial Revolution. The British attempted to reduce the production of such fine cotton fabrics to save their textile industry. Today, Unesco recognizes the Jamdani tant as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

Tant weaver Kabita Santra from Ningra village in Purba Barddhaman district hopes that her woven sarees will reach the global market as the pride of India. This aspiring MSME entrepreneur is one of the ambitious women customers supported by VFS in their journey towards entrepreneurial success and financial stability.

Mother of three, Kabita was employed as a tant weaver in a nearby village. Being in this industry for years, Kabita realized that her experience created the potential to start independently. Kabita set out on a journey as an entrepreneur with VFS, joining the JLG Anu.

Kabita launched her business with one loom. Her eldest son, a high school graduate, helped her get the raw material. After every week, Kabita’s husband takes the finished product for sale at the nearby haat or weekly market.

Years of experience and deft handiwork propelled her sales, and soon Kabita had four looms.

A VFS executive, as part of the company’s customer-connect program, called up Kabita. The cheery entrepreneur discussed her journey and her plans. She told us that, while the lockdown had impacted operations, her workshop has regained its productive vigour.

She spoke of her youngest child, her daughter, preparing for her first board exam, due next year. She spoke of her middle child, her son, preparing for higher studies.

Most importantly, she spoke of her dreams to export her sarees to Paris, New York and London.

Her ambition is clear: her sarees will someday bring hope for many women who aspire to be like her, waiting to realize their true potential.

Milkha Singh, in all his interviews, almost without fail, used to recount his pleasure in running. He used to race with trains barefooted. A child of partition, he grew up to be a legend with sheer grit.

But Milkha was no exception. Indian Olympic team has always been full of members who qualified to match the rigorous athletic standards that the Games demanded. And most of them couldn’t even afford the basic gear that their chosen event demanded of them to wear.

Take the case of Revathi Veeramani, for instance. Orphaned at 7, she was brought up by her grandmother. A daily wage earner, the grandmother had initially refused to allow Revathi to be trained, fearing it would cost her money that she couldn’t afford.

Part of the 4x400 meter Indian contingent, Revathi was spotted by her coach K. Kannan at a district level competition when she was 17. Kannan found it tough to convince Revathi’s grandmother that she had no need to worry about financing her training. And yes, Revathi too used to run barefoot. In fact, she used to find running shoes a challenge to her performance. She is now 23.

Or take the case of Mary Kom. Daughter of tenant farmers in Manipur, she won her place in the world of women’s boxing and is today a legend entirely of her own making.

Why shouldn’t we talk about Deepika Kumari in this context? Daughter of an auto-rickshaw driver, she couldn’t afford a proper archery set. She grew up using homemade bamboo bows and arrows. Her life as an archer started with Arjun Archery Academy. The real break came when she got a chance to join the Tata Archery Academy in Jamshedpur. She is now ranked world number one in archery.

Though Dola Banerjee, the 2007 world champion, had a reasonably comfortable life, brought up in Baranagar, in the northern suburb of Kolkata, she too had a middle-class upbringing. She went to a good school and trained at a local archery club.

The point to note here is that they shine as examples of how one can win against all challenges thrown by life, provided one is determined enough to reach one’s life goal.

But determination is not enough. Even Arjuna needed Dronacharya. So did the flying Sikh. Milkha Singh is quoted to have said something to the effect that to succeed, the role of coach is important. “… You can achieve anything in life. It depends on how desperate you are to achieve it.” This was one of his famous refrains that invariably were followed by the stress on the role of a coach.

Revathi, when she was spotted at 17, lacked the finesse to reach her current status. Neither did she achieve what she ought to have had achieved given her talent at that age. She needed K. Kannan to bring that out of her. She needed to be trained to wield the talent into an instrument of success.

From the Flying Sikh to Revathi, the history of Indian achievers cannot just be counted with the number of medals. It has been a trail of challenging the odds that life throws at us. It has been a story of Dronacharyas and Arjunas. It has been a story of teachers with empathy and students who were willing to give their all, unconditionally, at the asking of their coachers. It has been a story of willingness and determination to rise above one’s own station to achieve with the inherited talent.

It has been a saga that needs to be emulated in the various aspects of our lives, even in business, especially in microfinance.

The story of the Olympics is not about winning. It’s about competing with fairness and bringing out the best of the endowed talent and being humane. Let us wish the Indian contingent our best, and may the best win.