Sona Didi, an active member of the Self Help Group (SHG) in Khalispur, Varanasi (Uttar Pardesh) represents the lived realities of many rural women navigating economic hardships and social vulnerability. Living with her husband and three children, she faced multiple challenges including low household income, her husband’s alcoholism and domestic violence, and the added responsibility of caring for a child with autism. These compounded pressures left little room for her to explore income-generating opportunities or personal growth.

Sampark’s intervention began with addressing her mental health, enabling her to process stress and rebuild emotional strength through counselling. Despite initial hesitation, especially due to caregiving responsibilities, she gradually engaged in enterprise and marketing training, which became a turning point in her life. With a seed fund of ₹10,000, Sona Didi set up a small chaat stall selling aloo tikki and panipuri, earning an average of ₹400–500 daily. Beyond income, this marked her first step into public economic participation.

Today, she is actively exploring ways to expand her business, like introducing pricing displays, catering for events, and reaching new markets. Simultaneously, her aspirations for her children have strengthened; her daughter, who had discontinued education, is now pursuing a Bachelors in Arts (B.A) with scholarship support through Sampark’s effort on intergenerational empowerment. Sona Didi’s journey reflects how holistic support encompassing financial, emotional, and skill-based guidance can unlock agency, autonomy, and resilience in rural women.

The Larger Reality: Barriers to Rural Women’s Economic Participation

Sona Didi’s story is not an isolated case. According to the Periodic Labour Force Survey 2022–23, rural female labour force participation is about 41%, yet much of this work remains unpaid or confined to informal, low-income activities. The Sixth Economic Census shows only 13–14% of enterprises are women-owned, mostly micro, home-based units with limited market integration.

While SHGs have expanded financial inclusion, many women lack the skills, confidence, and ecosystem support needed to transition from subsistence activities to sustainable enterprises. Additionally, issues such as domestic violence, mental health challenges, and caregiving responsibilities further restrict women’s mobility and participation in economic activities.

Importantly, women’s economic empowerment is deeply intertwined with social empowerment, decision-making power within households, control over income, and the ability to invest in their children’s education and well-being. Without addressing these intersectional barriers, economic interventions alone often fall short of creating lasting change.

Sampark understands and acts on this intersectionality. In Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, Sampark works with 1,400 women organised into 109 SHGs across financial empowerment, livelihood empowerment, social empowerment, and community leadership, strengthening women self-owned institutions that enable collective decision-making and economic independence. This integrated approach enhances household incomes while strengthening women’s confidence, skills, and leadership, leading to greater economic and social empowerment within families and communities, and creating pathways for long-term resilience and self-reliance.

The Way Forward: Strengthening Systems for Women’s Empowerment

Sona Didi’s journey underscores the need for integrated, lifecycle-based approaches to women’s empowerment. There is an understood need for strengthening SHG ecosystems beyond financial inclusion, by embedding enterprise development, market access, digital literacy, and mental health support into programmes. Expanding social protection, and gender-responsive skilling initiatives can enable more women to participate meaningfully in the workforce.

Additionally, last-mile access to credit, mentorship, and markets, ensuring women-led enterprises can scale sustainably. Investing in community-based support systems and local leadership will be critical to shifting social norms and enabling women to step into public and economic spaces with confidence.

Sona Didi’s story is a powerful reminder that when women are supported holistically, they do not just build livelihoods. They transform families, communities, and future generations.