Nandakumari isn’t quite happy about her job as an Anganwadi helper. Though she enjoys being around children, she feels underappreciated at work. This dissatisfaction bothered her, and she felt she should find something else to do that will give her happiness. With this thought in mind, she attended the Buzz Business (Vyapar) training.
As she progressed through the training sessions, she keenly explored her opportunities. She discussed with the Buzz Facilitator about her options. She started thinking about what skills of hers she could monetize and then started analyzing what need gaps existed in her village. Our Facilitator was glad to see that she did not just jump at the first idea, but did her research. She also analyzed the ideas against what will suit her preferences too. For instance, she wanted to keep her job and work around with the timings of the job. She also didn’t want to wear herself out because her job demanded quite some energy of hers.
Her enquiries and analyses and revealed that there were no good places that provided healthy home food for travellers on the highway nearby and she could fill this gap. Nanadakumari enjoyed cooking and she could pursue this initiative while working at the Aanganwadi.
Having found the right fit, Nandakumari started her small hotel service near the highway. She began with providing snacks and, seeing the demand, started providing lunch too. She’s now making a profit of at least Rs. 9000 every month. Her small set up is slowly becoming a popular place in the locality and she’s now getting bulk orders for catering as well.
Nandakumari’s husband is a daily wage labourer and this new source of income is a great fillip for the family. Venturing into this initiative has not just helped her create an alternate stream of income, but she is also feeling a great sense of fulfilment and satisfaction. Going forward, she hopes that the business brings her more returns that she can leave her job at the Aanganwadi and become a full-time entrepreneur. After all, this is where her happiness lies!