Yesterday should serve as a reminder to improve today, and today is an opportunity to improve tomorrow. Our greatest mistake is in assuming that our present comfort will be sustained by previous efforts. We lose sight of the fact that this is a never-ending process. The only way to keep the boat afloat is to make steady and consistent efforts in the right direction.

The COVID-19 pandemic hit us just as we thought nothing could go wrong with the world. The time has come for everyone to work together and adhere to the strict protocol specified by the government for the greater good to check the pandemic.

Owners of small businesses need some empathy and compassion. While we groan about the lockdown, let us not forget that we have the luxury to groan. Many people do not even have the privilege.

When we speak with our customers, we notice two things in common.

First, all of them have managed to keep their boats afloat in their unique ways. I’ve always believed that Indian women can fight adversity and turn any situation to their advantage. With the current situation, I was proven correct.

Second, our women customers, as well as anyone who wishes to live life to the fullest, have been praying for the pandemic to end. It is hard to focus on business when the threat of a highly contagious virus looms over one’s head.

Here, I take a moment of your time to urge you to wear a mask, keep your hands sanitised, and follow physical distancing. Vaccinated or not, following these steps strictly will help us avoid getting COVID-19 or spreading it. Vaccination will protect us from falling severely ill if we do happen to catch COVID-19.

Let’s follow the protocol for the owner of the small clothing store, for the doctor who has been working under tremendous pressure for over a year, for our local grocer. Let’s do this for our women entrepreneurs, who have been patiently waiting to get back to their entrepreneurial journey in full capacity.

Let’s do this for Chhayna.

Chhayna Sekh, the owner of a small unit in Bardhaman, is one of our illustrious customers. Her husband’s transport business came to a halt a year ago when the government ordered a lockdown across the country to prevent the spread of COVID-19. He was the sole breadwinner for the family of five. Their two daughters had just finished their Class 10 board exams. Her son was in Class 8. While the rest of the family was losing their minds over how to get through the chaos, Chhayna brainstormed ideas to get her family out of their predicament.

She had just applied for a loan from Village Financial Services to put up a small unit in her courtyard.

Chhayna had always wanted to do something on her own. Raising three children, household chores, and assisting her husband in managing his trucks had kept her busy. Just as she was gathering the courage and capital to launch her entrepreneurial career, she faced a hurdle that no one in the world had anticipated.

The lockdown was a significant setback that had to be overcome, and she did so. Every day, with consistent efforts. From Day 1, when many people were worrying, Chhayyna began work on her unit. She planned to launch her business as soon as the lockdown was lifted, with all health protocols in place.

Her courtyard had turned into a hive of activity. Many of her new employees were migrant labourers who had lost their jobs in some big city and had returned home penniless. Chhayna’s courtyard had become a newfound haven for them. One small business became a driving force in the lives of many.

When VFS headquarters called Chhayna, it was another busy day, with around 50 employees making and packaging products to be shipped to wholesalers. The proud entrepreneur was working on a large contract while planning her daughter’s wedding.