By Jayashree Sapkale, Program Manager, Nandurbar
Ravindra Baraku Pawara, 29, lives in Sabalapani hamlet of Nagaziri village with his mother, wife, and two children. His family owns only two acres of rainfed farmland. As farming depended on rainfall, it could not provide enough income. To support his family, Ravindra worked as a construction labourer and earned only Rs.100/- to Rs.150/- a day. It was difficult to meet daily household expenses and save for the future.
Everything changed when Ravindra joined the three-day Entrepreneurship Development Program, organized jointly by ASK Foundation and CYDA, where he learnt how to plan a business, understand customer needs, manage money, and grow an enterprise.
After completing the training, Ravindra received a vegetable-selling cart, a weighing machine, and vegetable crates. He used his own savings to buy vegetables and started selling them in his village. In the beginning, he sold vegetables from one place, but only a few customers visited his stall.
Instead of giving up, Ravindra applied what he had learnt during the training. He began selling vegetables that people in the village needed most. As more customers started buying from him, his business slowly grew.
With the money he earned, Ravindra invested Rs.30,000/- to buy a second-hand motorcycle. This became a turning point in his journey. He started carrying vegetables to nearby padas (hamlets), making it easier for people to buy fresh vegetables. His customer base increased, sales improved and his business expanded.
Today, Ravindra earns Rs.250/- to Rs.300/- every day, about twice what he earned as a construction labourer. His vegetable business has become a stable source of income for his family. From his earnings, he bought a mobile phone worth Rs.11,000/- and has also started building his own house. His family is no longer fully dependent on uncertain daily wage work, and they now look towards the future with greater confidence.
Ravindra says, “Earlier, I depended on daily wage work, and it was difficult to provide for my family. The entrepreneurship training and business support gave me the confidence to start my own vegetable business. By taking vegetables directly to nearby villages, my income has doubled. Today, I am able to save, invest in my business, and even begin building my own house. I now believe I can create a secure future for my family.”
