SHG member Koushaliya Devi shares her story from rags to riches

Srinagar: A Self Help Group (SHG) member, Koushaliya Devi shares her inspiring story from rags to riches with the assistance of UMEED scheme of J&K Rural Livelihoods Mission.
Koushaliya, who belongs to village Bali, Chenani of district Udhampur was living a very hard life and it was very difficult for her to make both the ends meet. “I was a housewife doing household work and my husband was unemployed also which made our living difficult”, Koushaliya Devi says.
In the year 2013, Koushaliya Devi came to know about the UMEED scheme and joined SHG group Shri Mandir under the aegis of this scheme. “In 2013 I came to know about UMEED scheme and joined Shri Mandir SHG with a budget of Rs. 100 per month”, Koushaliya said. “
When the government started to infuse funds into the SHGs, the members started to utilise those funds and start their own small businesses.
Koushaliya also took the help of those funds and started small business of dairy farming. “After taking help of government funds and small loan through bank linkage, I started dairy farming and started to earn around Rs. 8000 per month”, Kaushaliya said with satisfaction.
Getting inspired by the success of dairy farming, Kaushilya also started to look for alternate business to earn more money. “After earning handsomely in dairy farming, I got eager to earn more and started the business of tailoring and bag making, making me successful member of the group”, Devi says.
The life of Kaushilya took an upward turn when she bought a Dumper with the assistance of UMEED scheme. “After the government provided Rs. 10 lakh loan to our group, I asked the members of my group that I will take this money and start something big. I bought a Dumper for my husband and it started earning handsomely in the construction work of Srinagar-Jammu National Highway”, a happily Kaushilya said.
Currently Kaushilya Devi is handsomely earning more than fifty thousand per month making her life and that of her family very happy. “I earn more than fifty thousand rupees monthly from my businesses and have made the life of my family happy. Also, I have enrolled my children in good school and it is all because of Governments assistance under UMEED scheme”, Kaushilya Devi said.
Highlighting that UMEED has changed her life, Kaushaliya said, “Earlier people in my village used to tell women can’t do anything but after my success the same people are giving my examples”. Devi adds, “Due to the UMEED scheme I have made my own image in my area and my respect in village is of such level that people ask for my opinion on every new work for our village”.
Kaushilya while advising the women of J&K to take benefits of UMEED scheme and join SHGs in their areas, said that the UMEED has given her a name and a unique identity, making her independent.