Tribal Women Cooperative Earns ₹18 Lakh in First Year

Fifty tribal women from the Santali community in Araria district have achieved a remarkable milestone: their Hemlata-supported cooperative earned ₹18 lakh in its first full year of operation through the collection, processing, and marketing of non-timber forest products.

The Jungle Laxmi Cooperative, as it is known locally, specializes in mahua flower processing, sal leaf plate making, honey harvesting, and handmade forest-dye textiles. Hemlata Foundation provided initial capital of ₹2.8 lakh, equipment, training, and crucially — market linkages.

Direct market connections were established with four organic food brands, an eco-products e-commerce platform, and two urban organic stores in Patna and Kolkata. This eliminated the exploitative middlemen who previously paid women a fraction of market value.

Net income per member averaged ₹27,000 for the year — compared to under ₹8,000 from traditional forest product selling before the cooperative. Several women have used earnings to send children to private schools and renovate their homes.

"These women knew the forest products better than anyone," said Program Lead Aarti Kumari. "They just needed the market connection and fair pricing. Hemlata provided that bridge."

The cooperative model is now being replicated in 5 more tribal-dominated blocks, with a target of 500 tribal women in cooperatives by 2027. NABARD has expressed interest in providing working capital loans to scaling cooperatives.