An uncertain future stared at Sachala Rahutra’s face because of the ruthless word called ‘Poverty’. It was extremely difficult for Sachala to make both ends meet with the paltry income of approximately 50 INR her son, a plumber by profession, could bring home everyday, which too was uncertain. Yet she would not agree to the advice given to her by her neighbors to sell her little piece of land and move closer to the urban area of Calcutta. Moving closer to the city would definitely mean that her son could probably earn more from his profession. Sachala’s adamant stance was more of sentiments than pragmatism. On being asked by the Kitchen Garden team of agriculture extension workers for Water for the 3rd World (W3W), an emotional Sachala replied, holding back that teardrop which was on the verge of trickling down her face “This land was given to me as a gift by my ex-employer in who’s house I worked as a maid for thirty long years.” “The sentimental value of this land is far higher than the market value and I would like to spend the last few years of my life with my husband, living here”
W3W decided to help Sachala by selecting her as one of the beneficiaries of W3W’s Kitchen Nutrition Garden Project. The W3W team gave Sachala a short but very effective training on how to make a Kitchen Garden in the land she owns with the help of a PEP. They also taught her the W3W co-operative business module, which would help her earn some extra money for her family of three.
Two years have gone by; today Sachala is a proud owner of a Kitchen Garden as well as a PEP. She says her 1000 square feet land boasts of high quality vegetables like Amaranths, Spinach, Snake guard, Beans, Brinjal, Chilly, Tomatoes, Corn etc. Sachala has not only learnt how to grow vegetables in her field but she has also become very observant with the cropping pattern and the peek yield periods of the year. On being asked how she got to know that, she replied, “During these past two years, I have not only enough vegetables to feed my family but also have quiet a bit of surplus which I sell in the local market”, she continues with a sense of security in her voice, “It is during the last two years that I have manage to get an income which is more than the previous years.” ‘Entrepreneurial’ & ‘Enterprising’, isn’t she?
On being asked if she looks after her Kitchen Garden all by herself, Sachala replied with a very satisfying smile that lit up her face, “Actually my husband helps me, we take it in turns, he looks after the field when I operate the PEP, and it is vise versa you see”.
The PEP is slowly but surely eradicating poverty from Sachala’s life and it for sure has improved the standard of living for her family, both nutritionally and economically. The very tear trop which was threatening to trickle down Sachala’s face two years ago has dried up and has been replaced with a smile. If only smiles could be measured, Sachala’s would measure a mile.
Sachala's Garden
