Somari Mandavi has seen mercy and underestimated looks from different people. “I wanted to support my parents by starting a small petty shop near a government school but due to lack of funds, I am unable to do so”, says Somari.

Somari is a physically challenged belonging to the landless family. The monthly income of her family was not sufficient to meet her daily needs. Her father received old age-pension and some relatives would help the family giving financial aids. They depend on daily wage works but that too is limited to seasons.

She was selected under the Gram Nirman project IGP Scheme for People Living with Different Abilities (PLWD) to begin her dream project of setting up a shop so that she could fight against the adversity of her life. She procured some grocery items like tea, biscuits packets, chips and chocolates that are suitable for the shop on her consent and demand.

As she did not have her disability certificate, the Gram Nirman team has facilitated the process by taking her to the district hospital. She was also given training under the motivational programme launched by the project. The program helped her and included her in the SHGs to avail benefit from various other schemes.  

Physical disability is not a hindrance any more for her. She doesn’t have to move around the village in search of a job but now can earn Rs. 250 to Rs. 300 every day by selling groceries within her house premise. She can now look after her family and run a shop simultaneously. She hopes she would expand the business to get more out of it. The change in her can be seen in her attitude towards life. Now, she is optimistic about everything.

Every day regularly, she makes it a point to open her shop and sell different items to the people. In this way, she is now in a position to fulfill the grocery requirement in the area. A temporary shed has been constructed to run the shop. The progress can be seen in her business as the shop which began with a temporary shed has now taken to have a stone-wall around it. She has given it a good shape within a few days.  Even villagers nearby get all the items required for their groceries. A gradual restoring of confidence in her can be seen, even her parents are supportive, and her social status also has been enhanced.

The people of the community are also very happy to see the drastic change of Somari and her family. Physical disability is not a barrier to her life. “I am going to expand my business to cater to the needs of my villagers. I will encourage others to do so. I am thankful to BSM organization and its staff for all the support and encouragement”, says Somari.