Adding to basket
Nengneikim is a determined and hard-working woman. She hails from Churachandpur, 62 km away from the city Imphal in Northeast state of India. She is the featured member of Council group, pictured with her hand raised.
After her mother’s death, Nengneikim, being the eldest daughter, assumed the entire responsibility for the family upon her shoulders. She is 32 years old and still single. Nengneikim has four brothers and three sisters. Two of her younger siblings are married. Her younger brother and his family live in the capital state to earn their living. The group members appointed Nengneikim as the group leader as she is reliable and active and would do anything to bring economic changes for the team.
Nengneikim and her father are the only breadwinners of the family. Her father works as a laborer in a neighboring village and earns wages on a daily basis. In order to supplement the family income, Nengneikim started a business using her own weaving expertise. She uses the hand loom method of weaving. She produces traditional wrap–around skirts with colorful patterns and designs. Her weaving is well known in the locality. It usually takes a week to complete one wrap-around skirt and she then sells the finished products to distributors for 3000 INR to 4000 INR per wrap-around skirt. With the profits she gets, she pays the school fees of her younger siblings and she uses the little amount left in maintaining the household affairs.
Nengneikim is very happy with the progress she has made in her business. She wanted to continue her weaving at night for longer hours to speed up her work in order to increase her production, however, having no access to regular electricity supply in the village has hampered her work pace. After 6 pm she could not continue weaving due to insufficient illumination.
Therefore, Nengneikim wants to access a Kiva loan for a solar home lighting system which is generally an excellent option regarding saving extra expenditures on alternative home lighting such as kerosene, candle, petromax etc. Solar lamps are eco-friendly; they are the most unconventional method to illuminate the house and the best way to safeguard her siblings from damaging their eyesight as they usually study after dark using candles or lamplight.
Likewise, the rest of the group members also need a solar home lighting system for their family use and for income-generating activities.
In this group: Nengneikim, Hatkholam, Lamneng, Lhingjaneng, Lhingkhochin, Nengtinhoi, Niengsangzo, Nenglhing
