Promoting SHG businesses, College Bazaar style

“College Bazaars become a space for members of self help groups and college students to share their experiences and understand markets. It is a win-win situation and a step towards empowerment,” said District Collector K. Veera Raghava Rao on Tuesday.

He inaugurated the fifth collage bazaar for the year ending 2018 under Gram Swaraj Abhiyan at Mangayarkarasi Arts College here.

A total of 24 SHGs worked with students from departments like commerce and economics to sell their unique products. The units came from Madurai, Tirunelveli, Erode, Thoothukudi, Ramanathapuram, Villupuram and Kanchipuram. The Collector visited various stalls that sold toys, jewellery, food items, handbags and sanitary napkins, and encouraged the students to take up entrepreneurship in the future.

“By selling their products, women, particularly those from villages, gain a comprehensive understanding of financial and educational opportunities. They learn the art of branding, packaging and promoting their products while making a meaningful living,” he said.

Commitment, talent and hardwork, along with a heightened understanding of market dynamics, make businesses successful. College students could provide valuable suggestions about the trends in today’s times and aid the women entrepreneurs with their knowledge, he added.

K. Arun Mani, project director, Tamil Nadu Rural Livelihood Mission, said the bazaar provided space for students to learn about the background, struggles and interesting business strategies used by SHG women. “Four other such events have been conducted in Lady Doak College, Sri Meenakshi Government Arts College, Fatima College and The Madura College this year. All of them have been successful and with a total of ₹10 lakh sales,” he said.

The bazaar, which is likely to see a total of 2,500 students, ends on April 19.