A rural co-operative in the Bara region is helping local women increase their income and improve their quality of life by using locally available resources

The Saraswoti Durga Women's Multipurpose Co-operative was formed three years ago by 47 women. 40 per cent of the earnings go into supporting development activities like gravelling the village road and building a pre-primary school building. Pushpalata Devi Sahani, secretary of the co-operative, said that members of the co-operative had not received dividends from the earnings. So there were plans to buy goats for them instead. Many of the members could not read or write, but some had received training in book keeping.

More stories from this region found at: http://www.icaroap.coop/