JOIMEI PHOM INDIGENCE TO EMPOWERMENT
32 year old Joimei was born in a very poor family. Her father passed away when she was in 8th standard. She wanted to study in a good private school but her mother couldn’t afford the fees since her two brothers were studying in nearby town for better education. Being the only daughter, she was expected to stay in the village with her mother while her brothers were sent to private school in the nearby town. At the age of 20, she was married offto an older local man who was a labourer. Jomei, her husband and their three children resides with the parents-in-laws.
Name : Joimei Phom
Husband : Henshak
Children : 2 Boys,1Girl
Edu.Qualification : 8th Standard.
Village : Tangha
SHG : Ejoila SHG
VLO : Echemla VLO
Longleng Block, Longleng District, Nagaland
32 year old Joimei was born in a very poor family. Her father passed away when she was in 8th standard. She wanted to study in a good private school but her mother couldn’t afford the fees since her two brothers were studying in nearby town for better education. Being the only daughter, she was expected to stay in the village with her mother while her brothers were sent to private school in the nearby town. At the age of 20, she was married offto an older local man who was a labourer. Jomei, her husband and their three children resides with the parents-in-laws.
Joimei and her husband were farmers and their family condition was of abject poverty. The farm produce was just enough to feed the family but not enough to earn income for her children’s education and medical care for her aged and frail parents-in-laws. Her only source of income was through daily wage which proved even harder to do it on daily basis due to the need of constant care by the aged parents. To offset the numerous expenditure incurred, she would take loans at very high rate ofinterest and at many times she was unable to repay it. She wanted to help her family but it was very difficult to find any opportunity.
Before joining NSRLM SHG,their group had already formed in 2012. They had no proper guidance and knowledge of norms and processes of an SHG and hence it did not function properly. There was no income in their group which made them think that it was just a wastage of their time and a burden for them.
In 2014 at Tangha Village, NRLM interventions came where she also joined the EjoilaSHG hoping it will help her meet her ends meet.Constant nurturing and capacity building was pumped on the SHGs. Before she had no idea about savings, banking norms, IGAs and other related info, but now she has a good knowledge of income and expenditure, Bank transaction, IGAs and social initiatives.
Before NRLM, loans were accessible with an exorbitant rate of interest but NRLM interventions have provided them with RF and CIF throughwhich they started inter- lending among themselves at very low rate of interest.From the CIF she took loan an amount Rs.20,000/- and started her multiple Income Generating Activities of petty shop, biscuits making,pickle making and other edible items. She now owns a petty shop at the village and the income generated is providing the basic needs of her family.
Also through NSRLM, she got opportunity for exposure trip to Meghalaya at Shillong where she learned Honeybee rearing,Fish rearing,pickle making among other learnings. Joimei says after joining NSRLM, she understands what the real SHG is all about. She is now able to come out of her financial problems and her social life improved and she is able to support her children’s education and the basic needs of her family.She now says that she gets loan at very low interest and so she is able to repay it too.
Currently she is the Secretary of Echemla Village Level Organization. Through this VLO, she again availed CIF loan of Rs.50,000/- and purchased small plot of land in the town to construct a small shop and start her business in the future. Social Action initiatives of VLO have helped her parents-in-law access their old age pension since from 2016.
Today, she is grateful NRLM intervened at the opportune time. She has says “ Joining NSRLM network of SHG has helped in my personality development. Today I have gained self-confidence, positive attitude towards life and work, and I am so thankful to NSRLM NSRLM for showing her the right path.”
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