The Courage To Initiate

PALLAVI GANESH JIVANKAR

Place : Nagpur

Pallavi Ganesh Jivankar is a 30 year old woman entrepreneur from remote Nagpur. Her husband runs a rented electronic shop in the nearby town. After marriage and giving birth to twin sons, she wished to earn something of her own and provide good education to their growing children. The experience of managing things at her husband’s shop gave rise to a dream of operating a shop of herself in the neighbourhood. However, she was confused what business to do and how to pull things together. After discussion with her husband, they got an idea of opening a stationary shop nearby a school where it could sell books and stationaries needed for students and teachers.

It turned out to be a good idea, at first her husband helped with some investment and also supported her to start off the business. One year later she realized that more investment can bring more profit in to her business, but she didn’t had any savings to invest. At this time, she decided to avail Muthoot’s microfin offering knowing that many women in her neighbourhood have already sought the institution’s help in growing their micro enterprises.

Soon, she visited a Muthoot Microfinance branch and the staff there quickly identified worthiness of her business. The institution immediately sanctioned her loan after credit check. She knew exactly what to do with the money. She bought all the stationaries required at the school and prepared her store for the new academic year. She filled her small shop with utility goods and necessary stuffs for girl students. Being run by a woman, her shop had female students as prime customers.

The impact of the investment was remarkable, the institution also gave her lessons on financial literacy and motivation. These helped her to grow the business constantly and continuously seek progress. Pallavi now has dreams of making her small shop to a bigger one, so that she can also turn it to a ladies fancy store – which will have a lot of potential because of the school nearby. Towards this, she is planning to avail Muthoot Microfinance’s Money PAC loan – provided to women taking their business to next level – soon after she finishes the present cycle.