From Struggles to Self-Reliance: Durga Gayen’s Journey with MCDF

“My name is Durga Gayen, and I live in Radhakantapur. I studied until class VIII, and then, at the age of sixteen, I got married to a middle-class farmer’s family. Despite my desire to continue my education, family pressures forced me into marriage. At the time of my marriage, my husband wasn’t doing much work. Occasionally, he would go for work, but whatever little money he earned, he didn’t give it to me. I had to help with the farming.

Slowly, I started hearing about different groups, and one day, I learned about the MCDF (Mukti Community Development Fund) group. I decided to save some money there and, after six months, took a loan to start farming on my own land. When I first took the loan, I was worried about how I would repay it. However, I had some experience going to the market with my father, so I decided to take my crops and sell them at the market. The money I earned from selling helped me repay the loan instalments, and I even made a small profit.

The next time, my husband joined me, and together we took a bigger loan and worked on more land. Thanks to being part of MCDF, I received various livelihood training programs and even some financial support to form new groups. I also started earning by collecting loan instalments from people who had taken loans. Over time, staying with MCDF helped me find multiple sources of income from different places.

Today, I can fulfil some of my own wishes and spend money on my children’s education. I can go to various places and have the courage to take part in many activities. Additionally, I have joined another project called ‘Shahoshini’ as a leader. Today, I am proud to say that I lead more than 200 women. This opportunity to gain respect and leadership came to me because of my involvement with MCDF.

Currently, my savings amount to 13,600 Rupees, and I am moving towards self-reliance.”