Bucking the Odds: Shahnaj's Goat Rearing Success Story
Sep 26, 2024
Shahnaj is an aspiring women member of Self Help Group in Gagwana village of Ajmer district in Rajasthan. The self help groups are being promoted by Manjari Foundation in Sakhi Project. After her marriage, she arrived here as a homemaker living with her husband, children and other family members.
Shahnaj who studied till 10th had dreams of joining a paid job, earning for the family and becoming an entrepreneur. When she arrived at her in-law’s house after marriage, she had no freedom to go out or to engage in any paid work.
She came to know about self-help groups being formed in her village, she showed interest and joined one SHG. The condition was to have SHG meeting inside home only. She joined the SHG and slowly started to understand importance of savings, and credit for starting a business and expanding income.
After assessing good demand for chicken in the market, she along with her husband started small poultry farm with 2000 chicks about 5 years ago. She started to take interest in managing the poultry farm and involve in feeding, vaccinations and care of chicks.
As part of SHG training and exposure, Manjari Foundation facilitated capacity building trainings and exposure tours to other well-functioning institutions and locations.
During one of her exposure visits, she got an idea of adding goat rearing as livelihood activity and planned to add few goat bucks. She applied for loan to her SHG and also to federation and with this loan amount she added 5 goats initially of different varieties like Sirohi breed. The number of goats started increasing and presently she has 10 goats.
In between, during Eid season, the family sells about 7-8 goats every year earning averaging income of Rs. 70,000 a year.
As Shahnaj and her family started earning more and had a good experience, she began investing more in growth of her poultry. She took a loan of Rs. 50,000 from Rang De and Rs. 1,00,000 from federation and her Village organization to expand number of chicks in her poultry. The number of chicks has grown to 4,000 presently. The average monthly income is about 30,000 from sell of chicken to vendor. Also, has been able to employ 3-4 people in managing various tasks in this livelihood activity.
She cites the various challenges like epidemics and diseases that she has to guard her livestock against. Timely vaccination, good care, and proper feeding is the key for growth and ensuring good returns.
Shahnaj is thankful for the opportunities she got being part of SHG and Manjari Foundation and exposure to Rang De credit support that is helping to fulfil her dream.
Over the time, Shahnaj has grown personally and could witness change in her skills and leadership qualities. She is now a Samuh Sakhi managing 11 self help groups in her village and also guiding other women to pursue their dreams of self employment. She is now confident and plans to expand this poultry and goat rearing activity to the next level employing more people from her village.
