The Snapshot
Our Field Partner Gautam in Barura, India, has asked Strong Harvest to help launch a micro-loan savings group for 15 tribal women. The goal: small start-up loans + Strong Harvest training → moringa farms → dried moringa powder sold into market channels. The result: healthier families, reliable income, and a self-replicating cycle of new groups!
Why This Matters
- Many families near S. Oblige Public School (where Gautam serves as director) struggle to survive by gathering forest herbs or performing day labor; the 4.5-month-long monsoon season leaves them with even fewer resources and scant food. With his own limited time and money, Gautam has already responded with meals and training — now he is inviting you to equip women to provide their own sustainable livelihoods!
- Moringa gives both nutrition and an income stream: leaves for family meals and dried leaf powder that can be sold locally or to Gautam’s buyer across the country in Gujarat. Gautam plans to buy part of the women’s supply to feed students at his school — and sell any surplus to help the school’s financial needs.
^ Gautam (left) and his teacher providing emergency food to Akli and her family.
A Glimpse of the Group
^ Puspa – school cook, mother of 6; moringa has already steadied her blood pressure and improved her children’s immune health.
^ Fulwanti – once weak and ill, was trained by Gautam and is now active and encouraging neighbors to plant moringa.
^ Sabita – young widow caring for her grandfather; collects forest herbs for limited income to buy food; in monsoon season, income is close to nothing.
Project Plan
1. Start-up loans: each woman receives capital to prepare a small plot of moringa and begin farming.
2. Training and support: Gautam will appoint group leadership, lead ongoing trainings, troubleshoot problems, and oversee payment records.
3. Repayment and scale: repayments begin about 6 months after planting (depending on timing of first harvest), and are expected to be repaid over about 2 years. Once repaid, the fund seeds a new 15-woman group – a cascading model of empowerment!
Budget
Item
Cost (INR)
Factor
Legal document preparation
3,000 INR
x 15
Bank account opening fees
1,000 INR
x 15
Boundary fencing for fields
5,000 INR
x 15
Plowing
3,000 INR
x 15
Seeds (2 kg)
3,000 INR
x 15
Pipe & water facilities
3,000 INR
x 15
Labor
3,000 INR
x 15
Other materials
3,000 INR
x 15
Transportation of materials
500 INR
x 15
Plant medicine
1,500 INR
x 15
One month of food support
4,000 INR
x 15
Strong Harvest home office support
15,000 INR
x 1
TOTAL
465,000 INR (≈ US $5,350.00)
How You Can Help
Please consider a practical gift:
- Provide moringa seeds for 1 woman = 3,000 INR (≈ US $35)
- Provide moringa seeds for 5 women = 15,000 INR (≈ US $173)
- Sponsor 1 woman = 31,000 INR (≈ US $357)
- Sponsor 5 women = 155,000 INR (≈ US $1,784)
- Sponsor 10 women = 310,000 INR (≈ US $3,567)
- Fund the whole project (15 women) = 465,000 INR (≈ US $5,350)
Donations can be made at strongharvest.org/donate (please select “0 India – Women’s Savings Group”), or by mailing a check to: 1400 NE 136th Ave, Suite 201, Vancouver, WA 98684. Any amount helps!
^ Mahendra and Manti, a tribal couple, blessing Gautam for his help.
A Ripple of Change
Gautam’s work in Barura shows exactly how Strong Harvest’s model turns training into steady results: nutrition, income, and a plan that repeats itself — group after group — creating long-term change.
Thank you for considering a gift that will feed families, build small family businesses, and support a school that cares for hundreds of disadvantaged children!
Want to get involved?
Your donation will transform entire communities for generations!
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