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Sujatha and Satyam behind the counter
Sujatha and Satyam behind the counter
The couple decided to start a small business. After much thought, they decided to start a Ladies Emporium. The village had a population of more than 9,000 and there was no shop that
sold products exclusively for women.
The couple decided to start a small business. After much thought, they decided to start a Ladies Emporium. The village had a population of more than 9,000 and there was no shop that sold products exclusively for women. Women used to visit the neighbouring village to make their purchases. There was a great need for a shop that catered to women. This prompted Sujata and Satyam to think of this as a business opportunity. Sujatha proposed the idea at a meeting of the self-help group, and got a loan of Rs.6, 000 from the Entrepreneurship Development Fund. She took a loan of Rs.4, 000 from friends and Rs.5, 000 from her parents. Together, this amounted to Rs.15, 000 for investment in the business. They rented a shop on the main road of Mulugu for Rs.600 per month. They spent Rs.5, 000 on furniture and gave Rs.1, 200 as an advance on the rent. They bought goods worth Rs.8, 800. Thus the Durgabavani Ladies Emporium was born. It is one year since the shop started functioning. They fumbled in the beginning, as they didn’t know how to run a business or maintain accounts. But as there was only one shop in the entire village, the business picked up quickly. They made Rs.3, 000 as profit on the initial investment. The business has since progressed rapidly to provide a profit of about Rs.3, 000 every month. During the wedding season, their sales touch volumes of Rs.1, 000
to Rs.1, 500 per day, which means a profit of Rs.300-400 per day. Sujatha is repaying the loan at Rs.400 per month. The couple contributes to a chit fund of Rs.50, 000, which they intend to use to expand their business. Sujatha and Satyam dream of giving their children a good education so that they can have a better future. They do not want their children to struggle like them.
Their children now go to Saint Mary’s English Medium School in Pragnapur, a bigger village
nearby. They spend Rs.900 on their children’s education alone.
The watershed programme has changed their lives for the better, forever.
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