PINKY VAISHNAV
Community Resource Person for Enterprise Promotion (CRP-EP), Ekta Micro Enterprise Consultant Group – Block Resource Centre (Enterprise Promotion), Begun Tehsil, Chittorgarh, Rajasthan
The word determination best defines the story of Pinky Vaishnav from Nandwai village of Begun, Chittorgarh. Her husband’s untimely demise in 2015 left behind Pinky and her two children in their dilapidated house with no agricultural land and Pinky took up tailoring to earn a living. It was in 2016 that SVEP implementation started in Begun by Rajasthan Grameen Aajeevika Vikas Parishad (RGAVP) with Kudumbashree NRO as its partner for mentoring and technical support. With her 8th standard education Pinky had the bare minimum qualification to attend the CRP-EP selection process and she cleared the examination. She was rigorously trained under the programme in business development and emerged as the President of Ekta MEC Group due to her leadership qualities.
Pinky proved to be an effective CRP-EP and has supported 133 micro enterprises in Begun. As the president of the MEC group, she spearheaded the special enterprise interventions like “Aravalli Village Products” which developed products like Forest Honey, Spices, Dairy Products, Masalas, etc. She formed and became a part of the Market Organising and Management Team within her group and generated revenues of over a million rupees in the 2018-19 financial year.
Her determination has moved mountains in her life. She provided a decent education to her children and reconstructed her old house. She even accomplished her long-standing dream of completing her school education in 2018 as she cleared her 12th Board Examination. Pinky today dreams of transforming her Ekta MEC Group into a well-oiled machine for rural entrepreneurship promotion with each member in the group specialising in one or the other major function. She is also a leading advocate for BRC undertaking common facilitation and has introduced such activities under the Aravalli initiative. Through her commendable service in the BRC and for the community she earns Rs. 10,847 per month on an average. When one interacts with Pinky one gets to know that she is a woman with a vision. And her vision for Begun BRC and Ekta MEC group will definitely move mountains in the lives of aspiring entrepreneurs in Begun.