March 2018
Sanjana is a woman of determination and courage. A few years ago, when her husband made major losses in his car business, she tried to help make ends meet by working as a daily labourer. When she heard that Mann Deshi offered women loans and training to set up businesses, she was determined to finally realise her dream to set up a sugarcane juice center.
She took a loan from Mann Deshi Bank to buy sugarcane and a machine to crush sugarcane and began her business. She also enrolled in Business School courses to learn about enterprise management, marketing, quality control and customer service. In 2015, she was awarded the Mann Deshi Udyojika (Ideal Businesswoman) Award in 2015. A little later, she joined Mann Deshi’s Chamber of Commerce.
Her business was a huge success and her sugarcane stall is now famous in her village. Sanjana is a keen businesswoman – eager to differentiate herself. Looking extremely professional in her apron and cap, she uses only organic sugarcane from her field for the juice.
During Mann Deshi Mumbai Mahotsav 2017 she mortgaged her gold to take a loan to cover the cost of the extra sugarcane. Everyone who attended the Mahotsav visited her stall and relished her sugar cane juice. She earned Rs. 80,000/- in four days and not only was she able to get back her mortgaged gold but she bought some more! She also bought a couple of smartphones so she could benefit from cashless transactions.
Since the Mahotsav she has started receiving calls and messages from many customers. She even returned to Mumbai several times to put up a stall at a wedding reception. She has expanded her business and is now also sells rice, potato and ginger. Her income has grown from Rs. 5000 a month to Rs. 35,000 a month. She has ambitious expansion plans and is applying for a large loan to buy a large storeroom.
Today she is happy that her entire family, including her husband, supports her to run the business and she owns a two wheeler, has a Fixed Deposit in her name and successfully repaid her loans. She hopes to access many more markets in the future and meet other successful entrepreneurs to understand their business techniques and expand her business.
She says proudly, “If any hard work comes to me now, I am not afraid to do it. Because Mann Deshi is here, I am here!"
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