March 2018
Prithi Bhise lives in Nimbhore village with her two daughters, one son, in-laws and husband in a tiny two-room home. Before she met Mann Deshi, her husband worked on the small family farm and also managed a small broom-making business while Priti ran the home. The family struggled a great deal financially.
Prithi decided to start working. “Although I knew how to make brooms, I also knew that if we wanted to increase our business, we needed more raw materials. But with so many family members where would we store these raw materials?”
She decided to start making traditional, Kolhapuri masalas and sauces and selling them in local markets. Her sauces were a success and with her profits she bought a spice grinder worth Rs. 12,000. It was around this time that she came across Mann Deshi and was invited to participate in its annual exhibition that promoted women entrepreneurs. She also joined the year-long Deshi MBA programme of the business school. Soon after she became a member of the Mann Deshi’s Chamber of Commerce programme.
“I changed my business after that year. I learned how to better manage my time, my money, my customers and how to plan for the future.”
With a Mann Deshi loan she bought a packing machine to improve the professional look of her wares and an electric measuring scale so she could ensure quality control. She also invested in a new broom-making machine that ensured that she could make more brooms and faster. She now runs both businesses and has invested in regular savings plans for both her children. Her income has increased by Rs. 7000 every month.
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