Kalpana Das, a resident of 2 No Baruah Pathar village in Kamrup (R), Assam, began her entrepreneurial journey with a modest investment of Rs 5,000. Living under Chamaria Block, she faced financial hardship, limited exposure to markets, and restricted access to veterinary services. Despite these challenges, she remained determined to improve her family’s livelihood. Her turning point came on 30 June 2024, when she joined The Goat Trust as a Rural Women Entrepreneur under the Udyamini programme.
Through the programme’s support, Kalpana received training, livestock medicines, herbal inputs, and value-chain guidance that helped her diversify into poultry, goat rearing, and duck farming. With consistent effort and strengthened market linkages, she began earning a stable monthly income of Rs 7,500 to Rs 8,500. Her work enabled her not only to meet household needs but also to reinvest in her micro-enterprise, gradually expanding her livestock units and building dedicated infrastructure for commercial poultry activities.
Kalpana now envisions scaling her enterprise further. She aims to rear at least 20 goats, establish a backyard poultry unit with 200 desi birds, and grow a duck unit of 30 to 50 birds. With these expansions, she targets an annual income of Rs 2,00,000 and hopes to develop a livestock business centre that can support other local women and generate wider community livelihood opportunities. Today, her story serves as inspiration for rural women who aspire to become self-reliant and financially confident.
Reflecting on her journey, Kalpana says, “Beginning with only Rs 5,000 and countless struggles, I rebuilt my life through livestock farming. With support from the Udyamini programme and The Goat Trust, I gained confidence, dignity, and purpose. Today, I guide other rural women to build their own micro-enterprises, because when one woman rises, many rise with her.”
Her project manager echoes this sentiment, stating, “Kalpana’s progress shows what determined women can achieve when guided and supported well. She turned barriers into growth and now encourages other rural women to move forward. Her achievements strengthen our value chain and demonstrate how one empowered woman can uplift her entire community.”
Kalpana is one among many digitally empowered Rural Women Entrepreneurs (RWEs) who will participate in the Rural Udyamita Conference 2025 in Guwahati. The event, scheduled for 12 December at NEDFi, brings together voices from across India to deliberate on building a sustainable and supportive ecosystem for rural women entrepreneurs.
The Udyamita Conference will highlight the achievements, challenges, and aspirations of RWEs like Kalpana who are shaping economic transformation at the grassroots. Organised and hosted by the Council for Social and Digital Development (CSDD), Digital Empowerment Foundation, North East Development Foundation, and Unifiers Social Ventures, the event will facilitate discussions on strengthening value chains, enabling digital inclusion, and building long-term livelihood resilience in rural communities.
The conference is co-organised by the Udyamini RWEP Collaborative and supported by institutional partners including the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the Assam State Rural Livelihoods Mission (ASRLM). Together, these organisations are working to create a robust environment for women across agriculture, horticulture, handloom, handicrafts, tea, micro-businesses, and emerging sectors such as clean and solar energy.
As Kalpana joins fellow entrepreneurs, practitioners, and experts at the conference, her journey stands as a testament to what rural women can achieve when provided with the right opportunities, guidance, and community support.
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