A New Breed of Entrepreneurs

Our women in Bihar never cease to amaze and inspire us. On Supei’s most recent trip to Bihar, India she learned of new entrepreneurs rising up in our program. They started making petticoats, commonly worn under the sari, a few months ago.

Last month, Nirmala sold one hundred petticoats, the highest number of all. The whole group had a combined total of one thousand units. When Supei asked how they did this, Nirmala replied proudly, “I did not advertise, people came because they heard our petticoat was very good quality.”  The rest of the women explained that although people did not believe them, they were impressed once they saw their stitch work. Eventually people started buying from our women instead of going into the market. 

Sampo, our head sample maker, tells us that the reason for their success includes their service, higher quality fabric and stitching. They are determined to deliver on time with the best possible product.

It is hard to believe these are the same women who were afraid of traveling out of their villages and cried in a hidden corner because of the abuse and hopelessness they endured. Despite their challenging past, they have overcome the social stigma, and have become a new breed of entrepreneurs and changers in their own communities.

Written by: Supei Liu