The spice unit gives Radha a new lease of life

Radha Jaat is resident of Chittorgarh’s Monga Ka Khera hamlet. Her husband abandoned her a few years ago, leaving her alone to fend for her two children. She started living with her ageing parents. The transition was challenging, as she worried about how to manage financially and face society as a single mother. Radha is a member of an SHG. There she found out about the Spice Plant and in 2020, Radha started working there.

A change for the better..

Once she started earning a regular income, slowly her problems got smaller and she also started garnering respect in society. Radha is now self-sufficient and single handedly looking after her parents and children. She is earning between Rs.4000 and Rs.5000 each month, which she uses for her household expenses. She has also started saving for her children’s higher education and weddings.

Radha’s dream:

Radha’s ambition is for her children to be well-educated and successful in life. She also wants to motivate and encourage other women in her village to follow their dreams.

I don’t want sympathy or aid; I want to be self-sufficient. she says.

About the spice unit:

The Sakhi Utpadan Samiti Spice Unit is located in Moongakhera village, Chittorgarh. Women from rural SHGs oversee and manage the Spice Unit entirely by themselves. The until follows traditional methods of preparing spices. Spices are sourced from tribal areas, where they are grown by tribes in the traditional way, without using chemicals. The spice unit provides a regular and stable source of income for 10 to 12 SHG women while also allowing them to develop their own identity in society. The unit was started with three varieties of spices last year, but due to the popularity of their products, the women have expanded their product range to include fennel, fenugreek, cumin seeds, ajwain (Trachyspermum ammi), black pepper, and garam masala (a mixture of spices).