Mr. Sukhlal Barela
Success Story of Mr. Sukhlal Barela
Dehria Mukati is a hamlet of village Dehriya in Sehore district. This part of Dehriya is very poor and many are struggling for lives. We visited this hamlet but they were not cooperating with us. As some body has threatened them that they will be converted in Christianity. All CERWOC staff visited them and spoke to them about the different program of the project. One day Mr. Ramchander the Entertainer took the director to the village and arranged the meeting. Sr. Magi Maria clarified the approach of CEROWC is not to convert them in to Christianity but to assist them to have a happy and peaceful life of families. She cleared her stand and told them if you want, you can form the SHG with the assistance of Mr. Ramchander and she came away.
Then a group of man approached to Mr. Ramchander for the agriculture assistance. He advised them to form farmer clubs as well as SHG. Then they called Mr. Ramchander and started a SHG. In the other side of the village there is a group of Christians, they were interested to form a SHS and requested for agriculture assistance. In the SHG meetings the entertainer Mr. Ramchander explained about income generation activities. They approached Mr. Ramchander for IGA activities but not willing to pay the local contribution. Mr. Ramchander was very strict with his stand of 50 % local contribution for any activities. Now Mr Shuklal Barela son of Mr. Gyan Singh Barela with his wife approached the entertainer and showed their desire to join the self help group in 2020 by depositing Rs. 100 per month.
I am Sukhlal Barela son of Gyan Singh Barela, a resident of village Dehriya Mukati Panchayat Sohankheda, Sehore district, Madhya Pradesh. I belong to adiwasi (Barela) community. My education is 8th class. There are total 9 members (5 female and 4 male) in my family. My family's main source of income is daily labor. I have 1 acre of agriculture land from which my family gets some food grains for consumption.
I got married in 2011, after that I used to go to Sehore, Bhopal and Bilkisganj for wages which are 25 to 30 km away from my village. I used to get a wage of Rs.150 per day, along with this I had to pay the fare for travel to the site Due to the large family and more responsibilities, my family could not maintain both ends. There was lack of good food and essential facilities in my family like education, health etc.
We applied for assistance of Rs. 20,000 to start a grocery shop. As a local contribution we deposited Rs 8000 to CEROWC office thus we got material worth Rs. 20,000 from CEROWC and start a grocery shop near road site of village. She had some money which she earned from daily labor of Rs. 4000. Mr. Shuklal also had some money from his agriculture. Thus they deposited Rs 8000 as local contribution and received a check amount of Rs 20,000. Together with this I and Mr. Bhupender Sharma the program manager went to Bilkisganj and purchased the material.
In the beginning for 6 months selling was less Rs. 200 to 300 per day. After this, I extended the shop and kept some more necessary things like gas cylinder, chicken, eggs, cool drinks etc. By the extension of shop and keeping good material the per day selling increased up to Rs.2000-3000. Now from this activity I am getting a good income Rs. 50-60 thousand per year.
This activity brought a lot of change in my personal, social and family life. My respect has increased in the society. Now my family no longer goes outside for labor work. With the income from the grocery shop, I purchased many house hold items, clothes for my family. My children are studying in Government school and living and getting tuition in the Prabhat Tara hostel in all the subjects and studying well. We do our responsibilities towards the family sincerely. I live with mutual respect for one another. Now my family and myself living happy life. With the influence of Mr. Sukhlal 2 boys came to study motorcycle repairing from PACE NGO. They joined the course and find it difficult so they withdrew and joined for mobile repairing and passed out with good result. They both together opened a shop for mobile repairing and getting good profit. The added photocopy machine to the shop and flourishing well.
Thanks to CEROWC and KKS/BMZ for their valuable support for me in time.