Seema lives in Shimoga with her husband and children. She has been engaged in ‘plate-making’, while her husband is a daily-wage labourer. Their joint income was not enough to keep the family running. While Seema had ideas to start her own business, there was a paucity of funds.
Seema found that in the village and the neighbouring markets, there is always a demand for disposable plates made of areca-nut. She was introduced to Belstar where she joined a group of women and borrowed a business loan. She borrowed INR 15000 towards machinery purchase and another similar amount towards raw materials. Thus, began Seema’s own enterprise.
With a margin of INR 2 per plate, she was able to make INR 7000 profit month. With her college-going kids pitching in too, she is now able to bring home INR 15000 per month.
Her future plans include purchasing more machines and employing people to help grow the business.
Belstar’s success stories paint the picture of how women have inspired many by beating impossible odds and succeeding on their own for their families, with a little help from microfinance.