Within the dense Bastar forests of Chhattisgarh, indigenous communities grapple with restricted employment alternatives. Relying solely on their land for sustenance, the bountiful yields from the forests might doubtlessly unlock the door to prosperity.
But, for many years, the state of affairs has remained unsettled. Hindered by a lack of expertise concerning market costs within the mandi (a vegetable market), the homeowners of those merchandise typically fall sufferer to exploitative middlemen. What stays for the diligent farmers is a paltry earnings and an ongoing battle for survival.
Spanning an enormous district in Chhattisgarh, this area is a big producer of tamarind, custard apple, jamun, and extra. Regardless of their tireless efforts, the hardworking girls within the space discover themselves with restricted avenues for each independence and earnings.
Having grown up in a village on the border of Chhattisgarh, Satendrasingh Lilhare noticed the difficulty firsthand. In a bid to help tribal girls, he initiated a forest-to-fork enterprise, promoting produce on to the market, and eliminating intermediaries.
“Bastar Se Bazaar Tak is a enterprise that holds a particular place in my coronary heart. It’s devoted to girls, very like my mom and aunt, who’ve skilled a lifetime of relentless wrestle,” he passionately conveys to The Higher India.
Satendrasingh’s journey began when he was a younger boy and spans a long time of wrestle, right here is his journey.
The Journey From Bastar to Bazaar
Raised by his Maa and Maasi (mom and aunt), Satendrasingh Lilhare grew up intimately acquainted with the challenges confronted by tribal girls. “My mom and aunt would toil for hours on the farms, solely to obtain a meagre earnings. Our family, my training, and our well-being have been all contingent on a really modest amount of cash,” he displays.
Coming from a financially constrained background, Satendrasingh harboured a persistent dream of enhancing his household’s circumstances. “Training was my solely escape from this cycle. In order that’s what I pursued. Most of my training, from school to highschool, was made potential via scholarships,” he shares.
Whereas Satendrasingh ventured out of his village, he all the time sensed that his path would finally lead him again dwelling. “I used to be away from dwelling, however I all the time knew that sooner or later in my life, I’d return and work with tribal girls. I devoted nearly a decade to the social and developmental sector to grasp its dynamics,” he explains.
The idea of “Bastar Se Bazaar Tak,” crystallised throughout his tenure with a non-profit organisation in Bastar. “I realised that the first problem confronted by girls and farmers within the space is the prevalence of middlemen. They seldom obtain a good value for his or her produce, and the income find yourself within the intermediary’s pocket,” he notes, expressing his need to know the intricacies of the enterprise earlier than launching his enterprise. “I accomplished a two-year course in enterprise administration earlier than beginning Bastar Se Bazaar Tak,” he provides.
One of many preliminary challenges in organising his enterprise was reaching the distant areas the place these girls resided. “Regardless of being from the close by area, they perceived me as an outsider,” he remarks.
“I used to be fortunate sufficient to seek out individuals from the villages who have been in contact with the farmers who helped me. I went and defined how I wished to assist them earn a greater dwelling and win their belief. After months of assembly girls from completely different villages, I used to be in a position to begin the enterprise,” he says.
In 2020, he based the enterprise and sells the merchandise beneath the model title ‘Forest Naturals’.
‘I don’t wish to do charity’
Whereas doing one thing for his individuals was all the time on Satendra’s thoughts, he had two paths to select from — charity or enterprise.
“I firmly imagine that girls and tribal communities aren’t searching for one other non-profit organisation to easily do one thing. They need tangible jobs and employment alternatives. When the choice fell upon me, I opted to offer them with a real avenue for earnings,” he states, emphasising that the response has been overwhelmingly optimistic.
Speaking about how the corporate works, Satendrasingh informs, “Our enterprise mannequin works in 3 ways — we’ve direct intervention, social aspect and collaboration with the federal government. Now we have direct contact with some farmers, and we additionally collaborate with the some panchayats which assist us procure the merchandise. As soon as they’re procured, we rent girls to kind, pack and distribute the produce whereas we even have chilly storage to retailer the gadgets for the long run.”
He explains additional, “At Bastar Se Bazaar Tak, we adhere to a good measurement and pricing system. Ladies deliver their produce and obtain the market value with none commissions. As well as, our enterprise actively employs girls for duties reminiscent of washing, sorting, and grading the produce. This method not solely ensures truthful compensation but additionally contributes to the creation of versatile and supportive native employment alternatives.”
The model sells a plethora of merchandise which embrace fruits and nuts, greens, fish and sport, medicinal vegetation, resins, essences, and fibres. At present, Satendrasingh has 1,550 tribal girls working with him from the villages in and round Bastar.
The merchandise are delivered and have demand everywhere in the nation together with cities like Mumbai, Hyderabad, Pune, Raipur, amongst others.
To this point, the corporate has bought 50 tonnes of produce since its inception and has been in a position to make Rs 1 crore in income thus far. The merchandise can be found to purchase on Amazon or in Jio Mart.
Among the many 1000’s of girls working with Satendrasingh is Pancho Jyoti. “My life has fully modified since I began working with Satendrasingh bhaiya (older brother). Earlier, I needed to carry the tamarinds to the market solely to get a minimal amount of cash. However now, individuals from his firm come and take the produce. Inside ten days, we get a good value for our produce transferred into our accounts,” she says.
A mom of three, Pancho is now in a position to uplift their dwelling requirements. “I used to earn Rs 1,000-1,500 after a month of exhausting work earlier than. However right here we get almost Rs 5,000-6,000, relying on the produce, each 20-25 days. He has given us ajivika (livelihood) and a greater way of life,” she provides.
(Edited by Padmashree Pande)