Antima
Community Entrepreneur,
Aswan Urf Hajiganj, Prayagraj

“My name is Antima. Before I opened this shop, I was part of a self-help group,” she says with quiet confidence. Antima lives in Hajiganj village. For years, she actively participated in community groups, serving as the head of the Uma Aditya Self-Help Group, leading a cluster, and later working as a Bank Sakhi. When the Village Development Committee (VDC) was formed in Hajiganj under the Holistic Rural Development Project (HRDP) Prayagraj, she was chosen to lead it.

Before starting her enterprise, Antima’s work was largely limited to community responsibilities and household duties. However, her exposure to group activities gradually strengthened her confidence. “I wanted to do something of my own, but I didn’t know how to begin,” she recalls.

Her turning point came when she attended a three-day Entrepreneurship Development Training organised under the Holistic Rural Development Project, implemented by Humana People to People India in partnership with HDFC Bank Parivartan.

“The training gave me courage to come forward and plan a business,” Antima explains. “They taught us how to plan, where to get money, where to buy products, and how to run the business.”

With guidance from the project team, Antima decided to open her own shop. She received ₹20,000 in startup support from the project for shop branding and initial materials. Her family invested ₹30,000, allowing her to begin with goods worth ₹50,000.

“I received support from the project, and we invested our own savings. After that, we started the shop,” she says. As the business grew, she accessed a bank loan to expand her stock and improve operations.

Today, Antima manages her enterprise with discipline and planning. She maintains a business diary to track income and expenses, ensuring that household needs and business investments remain separate. “The diary helps me understand profit and plan for expansion,” she explains.

Her shop now attracts customers from multiple nearby areas, including Tharwai, Bidura, Sorao, Moema, and Mangarh. She attributes this to fair pricing and consistent quality. “We keep reasonable prices so customers come back,” she says.

Family support has been a key pillar in her journey. Her husband assists in sourcing products from different cities and supports business expansion. “As a woman, it helped that my husband believed in me and supported my idea,” Antima shares.

Balancing multiple roles, Antima continues her leadership in the Village Development Committee while managing her enterprise and family responsibilities. Her journey reflects the broader vision of the Holistic Rural Development Project–to strengthen local leadership, promote women’s entrepreneurship, and build sustainable livelihoods through community-based development.

“Now, our business is growing, and we are earning well,” Antima says with pride. “The training and support showed me that if we plan well and work with confidence, we can build our own future.”