Livelihood through Millets
Millets are not just ‘Nutri-cereals’ that can help us tackle climate change or food insecurity, but are also a source of livelihood for budding women entrepreneurs. Take the case of Bolra Yellamma. Before joining the Women Skillpreneurship Development Program (WSDP) of the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII) in partnership with the HCL Foundation, Bolra Yellamma from Hyderabad was involved in tailoring and washing bikes. The WSDP program trained Bolra Yellamma to make millet products and add an additional source of income. Bolra expressed that she learnt a variety of things during the program including the importance of self-employment. Now, she runs her own enterprise that sells millet products like Boondi Laddu, Masala Murkullu, Masala Applau, Gavallu, and Boondi mixture (local names in Telugu). She has managed to earn an additional income of 4000 INR per month from the sale of millet products. She also plans to increase her sales and focus on small grocery shops and identify schools and ofces for raising awareness about millet products.