Twenty women from self help groups belonging to the most marginalised travelled to Patna to look for ways to improve their lives. They came from Bettiah, Banka, Gaya, Supaul and parts of Patna district.

BDVS organised a three-day training from 5th October to 7th October on detergent and phenyl making to give the women of rural areas an opportunity to engage in better income generation.

Five organisations took part in this training - Rural Education and Development (READ) from Champaran, Jan Shiksha from Gaya, Catholic Church from Madhepura, Dalit Mukti Mission from Banka, Mithilanchal Dalit Vikas Samiti - together with Bihar Dalit Vikas Samiti.

These women will go back and teach other rural women to make detergent and phenyl and will form their SHG and start their small business from their savings. BDVS will help those SHG members to procure the raw material at the best prices.

Sunita Bahan from Banka district was one of the participants who came for three days training. She came to this training with aim of learning something new to earn her living. She said ‘After attending this training I am planning to train other women in my village and form our group start a small business of making detergent’.

I will train other women also so that they can utilize their extra time and earn some money out of it she added.

Mr Vargehese Paul and Mr Jobil were the two trainers. They have found experience in guiding SHG (self help group) women in Kerala. This training was organised to share the insight of Kerala experience and to motivate women to experiment with small economic activities Kutumb Shree Movement (SHG) in Kerala has successfully diversified income generation activities. This has led to significant empowerment in Kerala and this success is also giving hope to the Bihar state.