Gandhinagar, August 28: Women from Pithai village in Kheda district, Gujarat, are setting an inspiring example of self-reliance and economic empowerment. These rural women are part of the Santaram Sakhi Mandal and are producing rakhis under the state government’s Mission Mangalam initiative.
What began in 2014 with just 10 members and an investment of 5,000 rupees has now transformed into a thriving business, generating an annual turnover of 1 million rupees from rakhi sales. The earnings of the women involved have significantly increased as well.
Meenaben Dabi, the leader of the Santaram Sakhi Mandal, shared her journey with a news agency. Initially, she started with 10 sisters in the mandal, teaching them how to make rakhis. Now, over 45 women are part of this home-based industry. Dabi stated, “Today, my rakhi business has a turnover of 1 million rupees, and in our spare time, we also make kites.”
Member Pratibha Bhatt added, “I help in making rakhis and kites. I earn around 3,000 to 4,000 rupees each month, which helps support my family.”
This year, the Santaram Sakhi Mandal has produced approximately 500,000 rakhis. Demand for these rakhis extends beyond Kheda-Nadiad to other cities in Gujarat. Buyers praise the unique designs, noting that they are not only beautiful but also affordable.
Customer Geetaben Patel remarked, “The handmade rakhis are stunning and reasonably priced.” Another customer, Ichchhaben, highlighted the variety, saying, “They have rakhis with rudraksha and Ganapati designs, all of which are beautiful. There are so many designs that it gets confusing to choose.”
Wholesale buyer Darshan Singh Dabi from Ahmedabad shared, “I’ve been coming here for at least three to four years. These sisters create very beautiful rakhis, and I plan to buy around 10,000 to 15,000 rupees worth.”
The women of the Sakhi Mandal are also selling rakhis online, making their products popular both nationally and internationally this Raksha Bandhan. In addition to rakhis, they produce kites and contribute to family farming activities. Once dependent on others, these women have leveraged the Mission Mangalam scheme to achieve financial independence and become pillars of support for their families.
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