Rajni, a simple housewife supports her family by selling soy products

The most important thing for a woman is not being afraid to take a chance. Given the right opportunity and availing it at the right time is an important factor for women especially in the rural areas. Unlike urban areas, women in rural India get less opportunities to explore professionally. Their determination and will to work along with their responsibilities is an appreciable attempt.

 

For Rajni Jaiswal, a woman residing in the remote village of Mungawali, Sehore district, Madhya Pradesh, opportunity came to her out of her own will to contribute in some way for her family. Rajni, was a home maker whose father-in-law run a small utility shop from their residence.

After meeting Rajni, she was complaining of constant headaches and joint pains, Sandhya Choukiker, Programme Manager, said.

I had joint pains and always felt drowsy. I was low on immunity and was very tired all the time. Despite I had complete meals on most days, I got tired very easily, she complained.

The nutrition team told her about the benefits of consuming soy and drumstick leaves. She convinced her mother-in-law to start using soy in the routine meals. Initially, my family was adamant on not using soy as a routine item in the meals. My mother-in-law said soy is meant for extracting oil only and we cannot use it in our meals. But then I demonstrated her the right method of processing it and made her a soy nuts. She liked them and from then on, soy become a routine item and a dominant item in our meals, she recalls.

 

Rajni now uses soy flour with wheat flour and makes soy namkeen and laddu for her family. She also makes parathas of drumstick leaves. Over the time, she has stopped complaining about her headaches and fatigue.

 

Making Profits

For Rajni and her family, soy not only gave her health benefits, but she also started spreading a word in her neighbourhood and started selling soy items in her father in laws shop.

As we continued the consumption of soy in our routine meals, my family also felt the importance of spreading this information among our neighbours. I used to make soy namkeen, soy nuts and soy Kurkure in our shop, she said.

I would insist children to taste it and then pack for them a few grams of soy namkeen and soy nuts for them to take home. I gradually started getting small orders for the same and earned money out of it, Rajni added.

Now, Rajni sells soy chunks and other products related to soy from her shop and supports in her family income.