Rekha Devi took a journey of 1700 km every year from Latehar, Jharkhand, to Tripura for over a decade, along with her husband and son. Their pursuit was not one of adventure or wanderlust; it was the desperate quest for daily sustenance- a struggle etched into their very beings.
They toiled at the unforgiving brick kilns, day in and day out, barely earning enough to make ends meet. In 2019, they stood on the brink of yet another daunting journey, weighed down by a debt of ₹12,000 owed to the trusted local Sardar (labour recruiter cum money lender).
An exploratory visit to a nearby village to observe The/Nudge Institute’s Economic Inclusion Program (EIP) proved to be a life-altering experience.
“This visit completely changed our perspective. We never knew that something like this was even possible. Dada (her husband) also got confidence that we can earn a good income from agriculture and livestock rearing and stay in our village.” as narrated by Rekha Didi.
They embarked on the path of agriculture and livestock rearing. The initial years brought earnings just enough to cover their basic expenses. The breakthrough came in the third year of their journey. A bountiful crop of tomato, bitter gourd and green peas brought them an annual income of ₹10,500 from agriculture alone. Their livestock rearing was equally fruitful, adding ₹15,000 to their income. Their newfound stability allowed them to participate in community events, strengthening their social bonds- they were no longer an outsider in their own village.
Rekha graduated from the program in 2022. She and her husband are now dreaming of expanding their horizons, looking forward to sharecropping and setting up a permanent vegetable shop to sell their farm produce in a nearby market. Their son, too, now chose migration, not out of necessity but as a means to diversify income sources. He split his time between construction work in Ranchi and supporting his parents in their flourishing agricultural endeavours.
Note: In order to ensure the confidentiality of the program participants, their names have been changed.
