Young girls give Srinagar’s fishing community a new lease of life
Educated girls belonging to the fishing community of Habak Shanpora area of Srinagar joined the ‘Umeed’ scheme of the Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihood Mission a few years ago to become financially self-sufficient and earn a decent living
Women of Kashmir Valley are exemplifying many success stories to change their lives and economy. With the help of training and easy loans, women are accelerating their business journeys under the ‘Umeed’ scheme of the Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihood Mission.
A young group of educated girls in Srinagar city’s Habak Shanpora area have started a Self-Help Group (SHG) through which all these girls are not only earning their living but are also becoming an inspiration for the womenfolk in the valley.
These girls, belonging to the fishing community, joined the ‘Umeed’ scheme of the Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihood Mission a few years ago to become financially self-sufficient and earn a decent living.
They have been formally trained in Hotel Management to make fish, chicken and other kinds of dishes and after completing their training, the group started making such delicious dishes in their own kitchen.
Orders come for private as well as government events, the SHG says
“Orders keep coming not only for private events but also for various events organized by the local administration,” one of the girls, Gulshan, says.
In the spirit of change and self-sufficiency, Gulshan has made a unique effort to make her fishing work more profitable by making separate fish dishes, which she is successfully advancing. Today, she is not only able to earn a living, but she is also trying to help her family financially.
SHG has won many accolades for its delicious food
Dell Delicacy, as the group is called, has so far participated in many exhibitions with its dishes and has also been a part of many food festivals.
Another girl from the group, Rumeena Ahad, said, “At festivals and other events, those who enjoyed our delicious dishes not only licked their fingers but also appreciated us with prizes as encouragement.
Notably, the group was awarded the first prize at the Tulip Garden Food Festival in 2018.
The girls now seek a kitchen within a central marketplace in Srinagar so as to cater to a large customer base and witness a rise in their earnings. “We want to turn this SHG into a full-fledged business, that we hope is possible with our efforts,” the girls believe according to Rumeena.
J&K Rural Livelihood Mission playing a vital role
Success can be achieved by overcoming any difficulty with hard work, courage and the desire to do something. In such a situation, this positive initiative of these young girls is becoming a beacon for their class as well as others to excel and lead a successful business venture.
In this connection, the ‘Umeed’ scheme is playing a vital role in the making of women entrepreneurs as success stories of women entrepreneurs are making headlines in the local media as well.
Pertinently, the J&K Rural Livelihood Mission aims to reduce poverty by building a strong institution at the grassroots level and ensuring income improvement on a sustainable basis.
