India
oi-Oneindia Staff
The
Bihar
government’s
efforts
to
promote
women’s
entrepreneurship
are
yielding
significant
results,
as
more
women
in
the
state
become
self-reliant
and
financially
independent.
A
key
initiative
in
this
transformation
is
the
Bihar
Women’s
Industry
Association
(BWIA),
which
has
been
instrumental
in
supporting
women
entrepreneurs
across
various
sectors.
One
such
success
story
is
Sajia
Kaiser,
the
founder
of
Revival
Footwear.
She
runs
a
thriving
shoe
business
and
believes
that
entrepreneurship
knows
no
gender.
According
to
Sajia,
the
Bihar
government
has
created
new
opportunities
for
women,
enabling
them
to
grow
their
businesses
with
confidence.
Initially,
she
faced
challenges
due
to
a
lack
of
guidance
and
networking
opportunities.
However,
after
joining
the
BWIA,
she
received
the
necessary
support
to
expand
her
business.
She
emphasizes
that
thousands
of
women
have
benefited
from
the
association,
gaining
recognition
and
respect
for
their
work.
Sajia
highlights
the
importance
of
platforms
like
trade
fairs,
which
have
helped
her
business
reach
a
larger
audience.
Before
joining
the
association,
her
business
turnover
was
negligible,
but
participating
in
two
major
trade
fairs
significantly
boosted
her
revenue.
Recently,
at
the
Holi
Mela
in
Patna,
she
achieved
sales
worth
several
lakh
rupees.
The
impact
of
BWIA
extends
beyond
individual
entrepreneurs.
Women
associated
with
the
organization
have
experienced
substantial
business
growth
and
expanded
their
reach
beyond
local
markets
to
national
and
international
platforms.
Another
inspiring
entrepreneur,
Mala,
successfully
runs
Shilp
Shri
Private
Limited.
She
credits
the
BWIA
for
helping
her
business
grow
and
flourish.
Mala
started
her
handicrafts
venture
in
2002
and
joined
the
association
in
2005.
Through
trade
fairs
and
networking
events,
she
connected
with
key
buyers
from
both
government
and
private
sectors.
Her
initial
turnover
of
₹10
lakh
has
now
grown
to
₹80-90
lakh.
Additionally,
she
has
provided
employment
to
300
women,
directly
and
indirectly
empowering
them.
Mala’s
journey
also
took
her
to
an
international
stage,
where
she
showcased
Bihar’s
handicrafts
at
an
exhibition
in
the
Philippines.
This
highlights
how
the
BWIA
is
not
only
fostering
women’s
entrepreneurship
but
also
helping
them
gain
global
recognition.
The
Bihar
Women’s
Industry
Association
continues
to
play
a
crucial
role
in
empowering
women
by
providing
them
with
the
necessary
resources,
guidance,
and
platforms
to
succeed.
With
government
support
and
collective
efforts,
more
women
in
Bihar
are
embracing
entrepreneurship
and
achieving
financial
independence.
