Until a few years ago, the lives of thousands of rural women in the Parihar block, Sitamarhi district, Bihar state, were virtually identical. They engaged in agriculture, goat rearing, and fulfilling family duties. However, they had to depend on the market and middlemen both when purchasing seeds, fertilizers, and other agricultural materials, and when selling their produce. Despite hard work, profits remained limited.
These conditions gave rise to a new idea. The women concluded that since they had to purchase farming materials from outside every year anyway, they could establish their own company. It was with this thought that the Diyamaati Farmer Producer Company (Diyamaati Farmer Producer Company Limited, FPC) was established on July 28, 2023. Sangita Devi is the founder of the company. Today, this company unites over 2100 women shareholders and covers approximately 4000 rural women. Diyamaati FPC is implemented with the support of the Bihar Sustainable Livelihood Development (BSLD) project and is associated with Samagra Shikshan Evam Vikas Sansthan (SSEVS). It has become not just an FPC, but a successful example of collective leadership and rural women's entrepreneurship.
In a recent interview with YourStory, Siddhartha Kumar, Secretary of SSEVS, described Diyamaati FPC, noting that the company did not arise from a grand business dream. Its establishment was driven by the daily needs of village women. He added: 'We saw that farmers relied on the market and middlemen for every small need related to seeds, fertilizers, and livestock. Then the feeling arose that if women united and created their own company, making decisions independently, they could not only increase their income but also strengthen the economy of the entire village.'
Diyamaati FPC started based on Self-Help Groups (SHGs) from ten panchayats. Three women from each panchayat became promoters, and a total of 30 women laid the foundation of the company. These same promoters elected the Board of Directors. The beginning was not easy, as most women had never heard terms like company, shares, or business before. The team conducted meetings in villages, explaining to the women that they were becoming owners of their own company, not recipients of any government aid. They were provided training in financial literacy, banking, digital payments, accounting, and business operations.
Prashant Anand, Program Manager of Samagra Shikshan Evam Vikas Sansthan (SSEVS), explained that the most challenging task was winning the trust of the women. Concepts like 'company' and 'shares' were completely new to them. They did not rush, holding meetings in villages and clarifying that it was their own company. As the women saw that every decision was made transparently and their opinion was valued, their confidence grew, and their connection with the company strengthened.
Diyamaati FPC was not limited to agriculture. Goat rearing was an important source of income for women in the villages, but due to a lack of balanced feed, the growth and productivity of the animals suffered. Noticing this need, the company developed a balanced animal feed called 'Damdaar Dana', prepared from local resources. According to the livestock keepers participating in the pilot project, regular use of this feed led to positive changes in the health, weight gain, and reproductive capacity of the goats. Simultaneously, thanks to the availability of quality feed locally, farmers saved both money and time.
Siddharth emphasized: 'Our goal was not just to launch a product on the market. We wanted scientific and balanced animal feed to be available to livestock keepers right near the village. When farmers receive high-quality fodder at a fair price, their animals remain healthy. This increases their income and also their confidence. 'Damdaar Dana' is the result of such thinking, where the farmer's need was considered first.'
The progress of Diyamaati FPC occurs during a period when the central and state governments of Bihar continuously support Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and women's Self-Help Groups (SHGs). Under the central government scheme to create 10,000 FPOs, the objective is to organize farmers and ensure them better access to markets, technology, and finance. Meanwhile, in Bihar, millions of women are joining Self-Help Groups through JEEViKA (Bihar Rural Livelihoods Promotion Society), promoting entrepreneurship and financial independence.
According to the Deendayal Antyodaya Yojana - National Rural Livelihoods Mission (DAY-NRLM), over 100 million women across the country are members of Self-Help Groups, with Bihar being one of the most active states in the country. The state initiative JEEViKA has also received high praise from several institutions, including the World Bank, for promoting rural women's entrepreneurship.
Today, Diyamaati FPC unites over 2100 women shareholders and has extended its influence to nearly 4000 rural women. It represents something more than just an FPC—it is a successful example of collective leadership and female entrepreneurship in rural areas. The company operates in ten blocks and 32 villages. In addition to providing agricultural inputs, it also offers services in animal husbandry and other rural enterprises.
The most significant changes are observed in the increased confidence of the women. Many women have connected to the banking system for the first time, mastered digital payments, and started making business decisions. This has increased their participation in family income, and a new model of leadership has emerged at the village level. Prashant Anand notes: 'Today, when we visit villages, the most noticeable change is the confidence of the women. Women who were previously limited to only agriculture or hired labor now manage bank accounts, make business decisions, and voice their opinions in the Gram Sabha. This change is not only economic but also related to social respect and leadership.'
Diyamaati FPC is preparing to bring 'Damdaar Dana' to other districts of Bihar. The organization also plans to expand into areas such as animal supplements, green silage, organic fertilizers, agricultural resources, and food processing. Obtaining approval to set up a feed processing enterprise under the Prime Minister's Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) Scheme has been an important step in this direction. Furthermore, a visit by the Board of Directors of Heifer International has given the organization new recognition.
Siddharth concludes: 'We want this model not to be limited only to Sitamarhi. Women from other districts and states should also start similar community enterprises based on local resources. Our main lesson is this: trust, transparency, and collective leadership are the greatest capital of any social enterprise.'
The story of Diyamaati Farmer Producer Company Limited proves that big changes do not always require large investments; often, they begin with a simple question. The women of Sitamarhi asked this same question: if farming materials need to be bought every year, why not create our own company? Today, the answer to this question is presented to us in the form of economic empowerment, confidence, and a new example of rural entrepreneurship for thousands of women.
ASHA workers and Anganwadi workers have become the face of governance in India. Their work is aimed at delivering government services to the most remote corners of rural areas, contributing to the transformation of life in rural India.
Even before eight in the morning, Vimla Kumari starts her daily routine. After completing household chores and breakfast, when the children go to school, she leaves with a bag containing registration books, medical records, and a mobile phone. In a day, she might accompany a pregnant woman to a medical center, persuade parents to vaccinate their child, distribute iron tablets, identify malnourished infants, or escort a woman to a hospital several kilometers away for childbirth.
The Anganwadi center begins its work long before the children arrive. The worker cleans the premises, lays out educational materials, checks food supplies, and prepares for a day filled with songs, stories, nutrition counseling, and growth monitoring. By noon, she weighs the children, advises mothers on breastfeeding, updates records, and coordinates with ASHA workers and Auxiliary Nurse Midwives (ANMs) to ensure access to healthcare and nutrition services for all those in need.
Beyond caring for health and nutrition, these women are changing people's behavior, raising awareness, and ensuring that social programs reach those who need them most. Although their work rarely attracts public attention, it quietly fosters healthier mothers, better-nourished children, and strengthens rural communities.
When public discussions touch upon India's healthcare system, conversations often dominate around hospitals, doctors, and medical technology. However, in rural India, healthcare often begins much earlier—right in the homes of village residents.
From maternal health to child nutrition—the women transforming life in villages.
According to a study published in European Economic Letters, ASHA workers have gone far beyond their initial role as public health volunteers. They now act as local leaders who connect formal healthcare systems with rural communities, promoting maternal and child health, disease prevention, and public awareness. The study also showed that having more frontline workers is associated with better beneficiary coverage, highlighting the importance of these women in ensuring equitable access to medical services.
If ASHA workers deliver medical aid to villages, Anganwadi centers often become the first institution shaping a child's future.
In the daily lives of women connecting villages with government services.
The success of India's social welfare programs often depends less on political announcements than on whether the relevant families actually receive their benefits.
The greatest contribution of ASHA and Anganwadi workers is often impossible to measure through official reports or government monitoring panels. Their true impact lies in changing people's behavior.
The first thousand days of a child's life are recognized as the most critical period for physical and cognitive development. Across India, Anganwadi centers have become the foundation of these efforts.
Women delivering healthcare, nutrition, and social security to rural India.
Preventive healthcare has always been a central element of the ASHA program. Instead of waiting for illness to strike, ASHA workers spend most of their time identifying beneficiaries, raising awareness, encouraging timely treatment, and linking families with government medical services.
Today, the duties of ASHA and Anganwadi workers extend far beyond health and nutrition. They are increasingly becoming the first point of contact for women seeking information about social programs, financial inclusion, and earning opportunities.
Unlike elected representatives or government officials, ASHA and Anganwadi workers derive their authority not from administrative power but from familiarity and trust. The European Economic Journal describes ASHA workers as local leaders who strengthen community engagement and improve access to healthcare. It found a strong positive correlation between the presence of frontline workers and beneficiary coverage, suggesting that expanding this workforce directly improves equitable healthcare delivery.
Despite expanding their responsibilities, frontline workers continue to face significant difficulties.
India's ambition to become a developed nation by 2047 relies not only on economic growth but also on healthier mothers, well-nourished children, and strong women. These outcomes are built not just on policies announced in New Delhi, but on countless conversations held in the homes of village residents.
