Dhanbad, March 10: Three years ago, they struggled to make ends meet.
Plagued by unemployment, the families living in Patia of Dhanbad district hoped for a miraculous turnaround of their fortunes.
Three years and a lot of labour and a bit of courage later, Patia has witnessed a miracle, in the form of self-help group Maa Durga Mahila Samiti.
The group, which comprises 12 members and is led by Pyasi Devi, has worked extensively to lend a helping hand not only to the ailing village economy but also to improve the living conditions of around 200 families in Patia.
“Initially it was very difficult for us to convince women to join us and break the barriers put up by their families. But we took up the challenge and succeeded in leading the women towards a new life,” said Pyasi Devi.
She added that the living standards of all the women currently engaged with the self-help group had improved considerably.
Aided by the Jharia unit of Tata Steel Rural Development Society (TSRDS), these women are now making crude soaps, better known as kala sabun, which are used by workers of coal companies in the district, to eke out a living.
Ask the unit head of TSRDS Sanjeev Mahapatra about the turnaround and he credits the women for bringing about the change.
“We had conducted a need assessment survey in various villages under our lease holding areas, from where we came to know about Patia. Though the village was producing crude soap it was in a bad economical state.
So we formed a group of 12 women engaged in the business and formed a self-help group,” Mahapatra said.
He added that the women then, led by Pyasi Devi, took up the job of motivating others in the village.
“The women were trained for two months in soap making by Calcutta-based experts. A loan was also provided to them, which in turn prompted them to manufacture soaps of better quality, and demands from other villages started pouring in,” Mahapatra said.
“In a span of just two years, it has been a story of an amazing turnaround,” Mahapatra proudly stated, talking to The Telegraph.
