Success Stories

Name: Dhuli Appalararsa (known in the village as Demudamma)
Age: 50
Village: Mellipaka

Demudamma’s family was one of the very first to receive a calf through BCT’s program. With the money she earned from the milk she was able to start saving in a women’s thrift group, a concept that was foreign to her before BCT. Through her contact with BCT and the women’s group she has become an innovative business woman, trying out many different ways to make money and never hesitating to travel to neighboring villages to find work.

She was trained to make Papad, the thin round crispy snacks popular in this area, and sold them in town. However, when she broke her wrist and transport became a problem, she had to find another source of income. She now sells vegetables in the village and is also a member in a group of 15 women who take turns cooking the midday meal for the local BCT school. They devised this system themselves and it seems to work well in allowing flexibility for the members.

Through her combined earnings Demudamma is able to support herself and her frail husband, who is unable to work himself. She has passed her savings on to her daughter who now continues to put in money.