She gradually convinced them by reiterating that ‘managing the household’ also meant supporting the husband by augmenting the income and cash flow of the family.

With the gradual savings from the income earned as a Sakhi, she could afford to buy a scooty to visit beneficiaries and government offices for her work.

The regular interaction with her fellow villagers also bolstered her confidence to help them.

Seeing the community response, her family also encouraged her to contest the panchayat election in 2018, which she won. TheRectangle 56, Textbox experience and learning gained through her role as a Sakhi has helped her in carrying out her responsibilities as a Panchayat ward member.

Bina Das, a villager in Moirapur (Kamrup district of Assam), lost her parents at an early age and thereafter her brother in an accident, leaving her and her sister to fend for themselves.

In 2018, she became a Sakhi and within no time she became one of the most active and highest-earning Sakhis in Assam.

Her work not only provided income, but also enabled her to avail her own house.

In 2019, she was designated as a “Krishi Sakhi” under Assam State Rural Livelihoods Mission (ASRLM) umbrella, and thereby regularise her monthly incomes better. 

 am Dilbul Hoque, and I am 65 years of age. I work as a daily wage labourer and my wife works as a caretaker in a private school.

My son is physically challenged due to which we have faced a lot of difficulty and struggle.

My life took a U-turn when the CRISIL Sakhi from our village met us.

With her help, I was able to apply for all the eligible schemes - namely, my son’s disability certificate, and thereafter disability pension schemes.

As an illiterate person I did not have any knowledge on these schemes. There are many people like us in our village which our Sakhi have helped. 

Rural folk much like their urban counterparts, aspire to live comfortably and provide for their families. What often stands in the way of these aspirations is an inherent lack of awareness and access to financial linkages. It is this divide that Mein Pragati strives to bridge.

Eventhough the village women are not that educated, they are now aware of the bank and ATM procedures