Rolling To Recognition

KAUSALYA

Place :Athikkad, Kanjarakunnam .

50-year-old Kausalya from Athikkad, Kanjarakunnam in Palakkad district of Kerala has now become a successful micro entrepreneur with her ‘Pappad’ making business. Her husband Thankaraj and only son Anoop now assist her in the business which provides the family with earnings around ₹1500 a day.

However, the success took its time to reach Kausalya and her family. Earlier, the Pappad business didn’t produce enough income for her family as the production output was way too less, earning maximum of ₹400 a day. Good fortune struck for Kausalya a few years ago as an RO from Muthoot visited her home as part of Street Survey and seeing the potential of her business in bigger scale, he detailed Kausalya of the organization’s loans and simple but effective microfin services.

Kausalya thought she should give it a try since she had the skills and it required no collateral security to get the loan. She soon joined a microfin group and availed her first cycle loan. With the loan amount, Kausalya purchased raw materials in bulk and also bought a Papad making machine. Muthoot also provided her financial literacy classes and marketing lessons as she didn’t know how to market and keep accounts.

After a while, Kausalya gained much enthusiasm and went on searching for even bigger markets for her produce. After a couple of months since her first loan, her pappad began to make an impact among locals and slowly but steadily created big demand in nearby markets.

Her micro venture now has grown up into a small unit. Apart from her husband and son, she has now employed some local women to roll papads. Kausalya has now become a role model for the ladies in her area. Currently, she is in her 4th loan cycle of ₹35,000 with Muthoot. She proudly says she will introduce more women in her locality to Muthoot Microfin and help them make stand on their own feet in life.