Working together to move out of poverty
Stories | October 12, 2021
Shaboodin lived in Surajpur district, Chhattisgarh – the target area of a CBM supported project with partner Margadarshak Seva Sansthan’s (MSS), focusing on people with disabilities. The 50-year-old had a physical impairment and had for many years run a small store from a makeshift structure on rented land. This was the only source of income for his family of 15 – providing them with just enough to eat twice a day. Shaboodin’s youngest daughter also had a disability and health issues, and a substantial share of his earnings was being used to pay for her medical care. Savings were never enough for Shaboodin to be able to invest in an upgrade of his business.
In 2016, as MSS was scoping out the project, project workers met Shaboodin. It was clear that his economic situation was extremely precarious. In 2017, MSS invited him to join their entrepreneurship skill development program. Post training, MSS worked with Shaboodin to develop a livelihood rehabilitation plan to upgrade his business. A small grant, equivalent to around $185AUD, was provided by MSS as working capital. Shaboodin also invested a similar amount of his own hard-earned money.
The injection of capital, along with his improved skills in financial management and planning, led almost immediately to an increase in daily sales – and so more profit. Savings gradually increased and Shaboodin was able to put more money into building the business. In the space of a year and half, he was able to buy the small piece of land where he’d had his makeshift shop and actually build a permanent structure.
Daily sales increased from around Rs.500 ($9.50AUD) in 2017 to Rs.800 ($15AUD) per day. This boost in finances lifted the financial pressures on his family. His honest efforts and dedication towards developing his business, coupled with the support extended by MSS, helped him to overcome the limitations imposed by his disability and earn respect from the society.
View our infographic on CBM Australia’s work on poverty reduction and disability inclusion in Eastern India.
CBM acknowledges the support of the Australian Government through the Australian NGO Cooperation Program (ANCP)
https://www.cbm.org.au/stories/working-together-to-move-out-of-poverty
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