“The three days spent in Solapur and Kolhapur were nothing short of inspiring and eye-opening. I learned so much from visiting successful businesses and interacting with their owners, gaining valuable insights and ideas that I can apply to my own entrepreneurial venture. Thank you for believing in us, for investing in our growth and success. With your support, I feel more confident and empowered than ever before. I am excited to put into practice everything I have learned and to continue on this journey of entrepreneurship with your unwavering support. Thank you from the bottom of my heart."
"Pusherung Reang lives in Anandazar, Kanchanpur, North Tripura. Her life has not been easy. She was raised in a small agricultural household with four siblings, her father being the sole breadwinner. She had to drop out of school to support her family. Since agriculture was insufficient and provided only subsistence, it was difficult to support the entire family. Therefore, she decided to explore other means of earning. When the Sewa International team started the Integrated Fish Farming project, Pusherung saw it as a ray of hope.
She received training on best practices and input support of seeds, fish fingerlings, and piglets as part of the project, giving her alternate sources of income. The technical training was conducted by ICAR-CIFA scientists, empowering her to explore scientific fish farming and pig farming, while Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVKs) supported the training on horticulture. As a result of this training, she has put her learnings into practice and is successfully taking care of her farm and rearing livestock.
She is grateful to Sewa International for introducing the practice of agriculture and scientific fish farming, which will help her set up a sustainable livelihood."
"After participating in the exhibitions, I feel like a whole new world has opened up for me. It was incredible to see our products showcased alongside others, and even more amazing to interact directly with customers. The experience boosted my confidence immensely, and I learned so much from the valuable feedback we received. Customers shared insights on pricing, packaging, and branding, which made me realise the importance of these aspects in running a successful business. Participating in the exhibitions also highlighted areas where I need to improve, such as communication skills and digital marketing. Overall, it was an eye-opening experience that has motivated me to work harder and strive for excellence in my entrepreneurial journey."
“I'm Subhapriya, a member of the transgender community in Thoothukudi district, and I earn my living by driving an auto rickshaw. On the 27th of December, 2023, Thoothukudi was affected by heavy rainfall. Many lost their homes and cattle. Even the water started entering homes, leaving many homeless and in desperate need of shelter. Amidst this turmoil, Sewa International came to help the people of Thoothukudi. What touched me the most was Sewa International's coming forward to assist the transgender community affected by the floods. I am eternally grateful to Sewa International for their generosity during our darkest hour. To the entire team at Sewa International, I extend my heartfelt thanks.”
A 29-year-old woman from a North Tripura village, worked as a farmer after completing her studies. Working hard under the harsh sun, with intense physical labour, Tambi ignored her discomforting vaginal infection to focus on her responsibilities. After two days, the Sewa International Mobile Medical Unit arrived in her village. Tambi decided to get herself checked and after a series of tests, she was diagnosed with a severe gynecological condition. With good medical consultation her health started improving gradually. Today, she is grateful to Sewa International MMU team for relieving her from the pain and treating her at the correct time.
Meena Devi a 46 year old strong woman from Narayankoti village, works with Sewa International. Her first encounter was during the aftermath of the devastating Kedarnath disaster in 2013. Deeply moved by their selfless efforts, Meena decided to delve deeper into the organisation's work. As time went by, Meena's association with Sewa International grew stronger. She became an integral part of the Sewa Satyanarayan Self Help Group (SHG), assuming the role of the group's secretary. Soon, Meena started supporting her family by securing a stable future for her two children. By being a part of the Sewa Krishi project training, she is now successful in farming training and is earning sufficient to support her family.
Visheswari Devi is a resident of Dubadku village of Rudraprayag district of Uttarakhand. Her husband died soon after the marriage. She joined Sewa International in April 2019 in the persuasion of Hemlata ji. In the year 2021, Hemlata Ji told her about the project community farming supported by Sewa International which provides equipment for farming like solar fencing, polyhouse, spray machine, water tank, etc. Before community farming, she was mostly dependent on MGNREGA wages, but it soon became a problem for her due to its irregular nature. After entering into community farming, she changed her crop pattern and her income increased. Most importantly her dependency on MGNREGA has been reduced. She is very thankful to Sewa International.
Meet Ankita Rawat, a 16-year-old student, who faced hardships at such a tender age. The loss of her father at 15 left her world shattered. Ankita joined Sewa International as a child at the "Sewa Yuva Jyoti" program, which focused on digital literacy and personality development. Computers were alien to her, but with countless hours of practice, she successfully completed the program, gaining valuable knowledge and skills.
Further, she pursued a D-Pharma degree in Ayurveda simultaneously. After completing her studies, her desire to give back to society led her to join Sewa International as a full-time sewa karyakarta. She became a part of the initiative "Swasthay Sahyogi Sewa," which took her to remote villages, where she had the opportunity to interact with people who were still grappling with the aftermath of the devastating Kedarnath flood. As she witnessed their struggles and hardships, she realised that this was her true calling—to serve those in need.