The statistics are proof – according to a report by Bain and Company published in 2019, micro, small, and medium enterprises are key to long-term employment creation. The government, too, has stepped up efforts to encourage more women to take up entrepreneurial roles. “Under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM), a programme under the Ministry of Rural Development (MoRD), has organised about 56 million women into SHGs, thereby leveraging over $30 billion in loans in the last five years,” revealed a blog by the World Bank.
The journey of a woman entrepreneur is ridden with hurdles, particularly if you choose to enter fields like edtech, computers, and optometry. But they say – where there is a will, there is a way. Here’s the story of three women from rural India who brought their dreams to life, despite navigating uncharted territory.
Narmatha Vasanthan
Vasanthan, who hails from the temple town of Thanjavur, worked for a few years in Dubai post her wedding. It was when she returned to the country after a maternity sabbatical and initiated her job hunt, that she realised that her career gap had become a ‘thorn’ in her journey.
“During my interviews, they would question me on the basics of computers, but I knew nothing. That’s when I decided to take it in my stride and learn these skills. I eventually landed a job in Dubai, but the company wasn’t financially stable. I received little to no recognition and my salary was not at par with others. There was a lack of stability and since my family was dependent on me, I had to think of an alternate solution,” she shared.
Undeterred, Vasanthan returned to India and decided to train individuals, graduates, and students in digital skills. With support from her husband, Rudra Computer Training came into existence. She places special focus on imparting training to women and young girls, so that they can stand on their own feet. Vasanthan’s vision is to accommodate more people in her centre – she also wants to purchase additional equipment, such as lamination and a binding machine. These bigger goals would have remained a pipedream but for the support she got by winning the Britannia Marie Gold MyStartup Contest, got her the seed money to start the venture two years ago.
R.Sumathi
An experienced optometrist, R.Sumathi from Kanchipuram has had an inspiring journey, but not without obstacles. When the pandemic started, she came up with a startup idea – and her kids applied to Britannia Marie Gold MyStartup Contest. That’s how her dreams came to life!
They say women uplift women – that’s precisely how Sumathi’s journey began! In her previous job where she worked for nine years, her mentor – the late Dr Rema Mohan, renowned ophthalmologist, inspired her by consistently worked towards uplifting women, encouraging them to be a part of the workforce.
That’s how Sumathi’s venture Elite Opticare and Health Centre, the first such in her hometown, came into being. While she could get it off the ground with the help of Britannia Marie Gold MyStartup contest prize money, she now requires additional assistance to purchase equipment to expand her services and take her clinic to the next level.
Yazhinidevi D
It was in early 2021 that Yazhinidevi from Salem started to think of how developmental challenges, including a lack of self-awareness and other skills, can have a detrimental impact on one’s life and career. It is this void in her life that motivated her to become an entrepreneur, in partnership with her husband. She also wanted to do her bit for the upcoming generations, which is what led her to launch Betawinds Learning Solutions to enable individuals to achieve personal excellence.
“We have been on this journey for the last few months. What’s more, we have designed courses that focus on developmental psychology, behavioural sciences, and 21 different skills that one would need beyond their academic learnings to explore their excellence,” she adds, sharing that her mother has been her biggest inspiration!
Over the years, Yazhinidevi seeks to expand her business and cater to different customer segments and their needs. Britannia Marie Gold MyStartup Contest has guided her on the path of entrepreneurship so far, but Yazhinidevi needs more financial power to give wings to her dreams.
Fueling ambitions of women entrepreneurs
Britannia launched the Marie Gold MyStartUp Contest in 2019, selecting top 10 business ideas by women and awarding them INR 10 lakh each to start up. Season 1 saw a whopping 1 million entries and seasons 2 and 3 were bigger and better. 40,000+ women have so far received training via upskilling programmes, 30 women received the funding from Britannia and 10+ successful startups have been created till now.
The fourth edition of the initiative places the spotlight on the homemaker, projecting her as the beacon of empowerment. She’s the one who tactfully and successfully balances work and home and inspires younger women around her to follow in her path!
Now, you too can do your bit and support the endeavours of these remarkable women simply by participating in the crowdfunding initiative. It’s as simple as buying a pack of Britannia Marie Gold, scanning the QR code on the pack and visiting the website to know the stories of women who are doing small town India proud. So, don’t hold yourself back and give shape to their ambitions!
This article is part of the sponsored content programme