Strong Willpower paves the way to success

Karlakhaman village is situated three kilo meters away from Lathikata block head-quarters. It is mostly tribal dominated village having 550 households. Rinarani Gope is poor women aged about 35 years belongs to this village. Her husband had neither land property nor any income sources for sustenance of own family. Newly married Rina faced terrible situation to make their breads every day as poverty shrouded with them. She was always in grief and thinking how to get rid of this pathetic situation.
In 2014, she heard about CORD voluntary organisation from her relative. Next day, she came to CORD Lathikata office and shared her family problem to a field worker. The CORD team inspired her to form an Self-help Group consisting of ten members and continue monthly savings in group. With the facilitation role of CORD, a SelfHelp Group named “Chinmaya. Bhubaneswari” was formed and Rina became the secretary of it. Different types of development training camps were organised to its members to boost their leadership qualities by CORD.
Rina started fast food business at her house availing five thousand rupees as loan from her group. Her business went well because the shop was near a private ITI, a school for the blind and Sobhaniya private school. Getting good income, her un-employed husband helped in business. Daily Rina earned Rs 1500 to 2500 and gradually changed her family condition. She tried her level best to provide good service to the customers. She further thought to increase her household income more. So, she decided to start another business. She brought Rs. 30.000 loan from group and she started stationery business as it is a profitable one. She gets Rs. 8000 to 12,000 profits from second venture. As per profit loss analysis made by our team, she is earning Rs.15000 to 20,000 per month from two business. Presently she is capable enough to manage her family in decent way. She is free from mental agony. Every month she is depositing Rs 4000 at bank as recurring deposit. She could have a fixed deposit sum of 30,000/- rupees at post office. She is also saving Rs.1500/- under Sukanya Samridhi Yojana for her elder daughter every month. Elder daughtersis studying at Adarsh Vidyalaya English Medium School run by Odisha Govt where hersecond daughter at a private school.
She is an executive member of Chinmaya. Shakti Mahila Mandal of Karlakhaman village. Being a vibrant and energetic leader, she plays dynamic role in group management and village development process. She is imparting training to her group members on book keeping, mother and child health and Panchayati Raj. She has significant role in mobilizing women and villagers to Pallisabha and Gram Sabha to put forth individual and community demands.
She has been selected as community resource person (CRP) under Odisha Mission Shakti department. She represents herself at block level women federation and mobilizes Revolving fund, seed money, different income generating project like poultry, goat farming, mushroom farming, vermicompost units etc. for needy women from Odisha Livelihood Mission and Odisha Mission Shakti.
Rina inspires other poor and needy women to take effort for enhancing income of family because economic independence brings self-reliant and self-esteem to one’s life in society. As a guide, she counsels the poor women that “strong willpower paves the way to success”.