Prayagraj: Defying age, financial hardship and social barriers, 56-year-old Urmila Devi from Dariyapur village in Phulpur has transformed herself from a homemaker into an entrepreneur. Through govt-backed self-help group initiatives, she has built her own cleaning products brand, which now earns her between Rs 45,000 and Rs 55,000 a month while employing more than a dozen rural women.Urmila recalls that her husband, Mangla Prasad, used to drive an e-rickshaw and the family struggled to make ends meet. Her life changed after she learnt about the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM) through women in her village. In 2012, she formed the Hari Om Mahila Self-Help Group along with 11 other women.She later secured interest-free loans from various govt departments and established RH Enterprises. Under the venture, she launched her cleaning products brand, which today manufactures phenyl, toilet cleaner, bathroom cleaner, glass cleaner, hand wash and dish wash.Interestingly, Urmila developed the brand, ‘Arisha Glow’, in the courtyard of her home. She says she had neither prior business experience nor the lakhs of rupees normally required to start such an enterprise. After joining NRLM, she raised Rs 2 lakh through her self-help group and received ₹3 lakh in assistance under the Pradhan Mantri Rozgar Yojana. With a total capital of Rs 5 lakh and the training provided under the mission, she began manufacturing cleaning products from home.She sources raw materials from Ahmedabad, Delhi and Varanasi. Along with local women working at the home-based unit, she manufactures the products and supplies them to hotels, hospitals and local shops in nearby towns.Recognising her dedication, the Aajeevika Mission is now working to provide her enterprise with a larger platform.Shama Singh, deputy commissioner (NRLM), Prayagraj, said that a proposal has been prepared to supply Urmila’s cleaning products to all community toilets across the district. Since community toilets have a constant demand for such products, the initiative is expected to significantly expand the reach of the brand while creating more employment opportunities for rural women.Amravati Devi, a resident of the village, said that after completing her household chores, she works at Urmila’s unit manufacturing cleaning products and earns around Rs 15,000 a month. Like Amravati and Priyanka, more than a dozen rural women have found a steady source of income through Urmila’s enterprise.
