Client Stories

Anjali Patwar, a 30-year-old mother of three from Gandhi Nagar, a small village in Kolhui district of Uttar Pradesh, faced financial challenges as her husband's income from managing his father's tent house business was insufficient. Determined to improve her family's standard of living, Anjali opened a small jewellery and cosmetics shop in her village with no initial capital. That is when she came across Mitrata, a microfinance institution that provides small loans to people like her who lack access to formal banking services.She initially took a loan of INR 30,000 from Mitrata, to start her business. Over four years, she took multiple loans from Mitrata, with the latest being INR 50,000, to cover her working capital expenses. Anjali's shop thrived, allowing her to expand her product range and increase her monthly income from zero to INR 60,000. Her family's standard of living improved significantly, enabling her children to attend a good private school and her mother-in-law to receive proper medical attention. Anjali's success story inspired other women in her village to start their own businesses, and she aspires to further expand her shop with a bigger loan from Mitrata

Janteera, an ordinary rural woman from Badahara Devicharan village in Maharajganj, Uttar Pradesh, stands out for her care and passion for her family. She is a member of the Joint Liability Group (JLG), she actively participates in group meetings too. When asked about her decision to apply for a 'Toilet Improvement Loan', she shared, "While this improvement would benefit every family member, I was particularly worried for my pregnant daughter-in-law. Carrying a 20-liter bucket of water posed a risk to her safety, and I feared an accident. I wanted to avoid any embarrassment in front of my family and neighbors. So, upon learning about the loan for toilet improvement, I promptly approached 'Seema Didi' (Sanitation Officer) to help me fill out the form for installing piped water facility and renovating my toilet." Janteera successfully obtained the PRABAL loan and completed all necessary work in her toilet within a week. The toilet now holds a special significance for both her and her daughter-in-law. Janteera's story highlights the urgent need felt by many rural women for improved toilet facilities, with the lack of funds being a major obstacle. Through PRABAL, we are honored to assist such deserving women in need.

Manju Singh, from Bhagaura village in Gorakhpur, is a mother of two and an entrepreneur running her own dairy business. Her family struggled financially, relying solely on her husband Raman's income. The family was not having secondary source of livelihood, becomes a biggest obstacle for social and economic growth of the family. They were having cow which was producing very less milk and not able to sell it in the market.

Upon discovering microfinance institutions that provide small loans to families wanting to start enterprises, Manju saw a way out to help her family from the financial stress. She discussed with her husband and they jointly decided to taken a loan from MITRATA.

With the support from Mitrata Inclusive Financial Pvt. Ltd. (MITRATA), she took an initial loan of INR 20,000 and added some of her savings to buy a cow and in the meanwhile she received an entrepreneurship training to upskill herself for the financial literacy, market analysis, business management required for her business, implemented by MITRATA & supported by ANANYA finance. She then took a second loan of INR 30,000 to expand her business. Now, Manju and her husband sell about ten litres of milk daily, with her husband also trading cows and buffaloes. Their improved income allows their children, to attend school regularly.

Manju’s new knowledge and skills have elevated her family's social and economic status. She actively participates in household decision-making and is respected in her community. Manju believes in hard work and honesty to achieve even greater success.

The training on entrepreneurship and dairy management has increased my confidence and certainly it will help me in log run” - Manju Singh

Sumitra Devi, a mother of three from Bihar, has become an inspiration for many women in her village. Both she and her husband struggled to make ends meet as daily wage laborers. It was difficult to raise a family of five with that little earned money and their financial condition worsened after spending all their savings on their daughter's wedding, leaving them in debt.

One day, Sumitra attended a village meeting where she met the field officer from Mitrata Inclusive Financial Pvt. Ltd. (MITRATA). She there learned about the loan policies, eligibility criteria, and the concept of joint liability groups. Despite her initial apprehensions of whether she will get a loan or not, she decided to apply for it to start a small enterprise of her own.

In August 2018, Sumitra received her first loan of INR 20,000. With this money, she purchased two goats. Over the next year, her goats multiplied to six, and she became eligible for a second loan. After receiving entrepreneurship training from MITRATA, she was inspired to expand her business. She took a second loan of INR 30,000, purchased more goats, and built a small goat shed. Now, she owns 21 goats valued at around INR 1.5 lakhs.

Sumitra’s financial situation has significantly improved, and she now earns a steady income by selling goat milk in her village. Transitioning from daily wage labor to owning a successful goat-rearing business, she has become a source of motivation for other women, who visit her to learn from her success.

Urmila, a 58-year-old resident of Bihar, had an incomplete toilet structure without basic facilities like a toilet seat, door, and water supply. Due to lack of funds, the toilet remained unusable for the longest time.

It was after attending a Centre-Meeting, where the Sanitation Officer highlighted the importance of proper sanitation for women's health, dignity, and safety, Urmila realized the true value of a functional toilet. She was motivated by this new understanding and applied for a loan through the PRABAL program.

With the loan, Urmila transformed her unusable toilet into a fully functional facility. This improvement not only enhanced her quality of life but also inspired other women in the village. The PRABAL team has since received numerous requests from women, even those not part of the JLG, eager to improve their own sanitation facilities through PRABAL assistance. Urmila’s success story is now a beacon of change, spreading awareness and encouraging better sanitation practices among village women.