Patna: Aamna Khatoon of Dostiya village in Sheohar district has turned a traditional skill into a successful business with an annual turnover of ₹15–20 lakh.
With support from JEEViKA, she revived her lac bangle-making work, expanded production and created employment opportunities for other rural women.
From Financial Struggles to Entrepreneurship
Aamna had learnt the art of making traditional lac bangles before marriage. However, after marriage, raising four children with limited household income made it difficult for her to continue the craft.
Her husband worked as a tailor in Ludhiana. A turning point came in 2017 when Aamna joined the Ala Hazrat JEEViKA Self-Help Group and Bagmati Village Organisation.
The groups gave her encouragement and helped her explore the possibility of restarting her traditional craft as a business.
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₹40,000 Loan Helped Restart the Business
In 2020, Aamna took her first ₹40,000 loan through the group. After an eight-year gap, she resumed lac bangle production by purchasing raw materials from Sitamarhi.
Local shopkeepers quickly appreciated her products. Her first production cycle earned her a net profit of ₹7,000, giving her confidence to expand.
She continued repaying her loans on time and increased production. Her bangles also received a strong response at Saras fairs, where she earned direct savings of ₹70,000.
Lac Bangles Reach Markets Beyond Bihar
Aamna’s home-based enterprise has now grown into a business with an annual turnover of ₹15–20 lakh. She earns around ₹5–6 lakh in net annual profit.
Her handmade lac bangles are sold through more than 25–30 shops in Sheohar and Sitamarhi. They have also reached markets and fairs in:
- Patna, Delhi and Gurugram
- Varanasi, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh
- Deoghar
The growing demand has helped her take a traditional village craft to a wider customer base
Business Creates Jobs for Rural Women
Aamna’s success has also created opportunities for others. According to JEEViKA officials, her enterprise currently provides employment to 13 people, including 10 women associated with JEEViKA.
She has also repaid the entire ₹9.75 lakh loan taken through the self-help group.
With her business growing, Aamna now plans to invest another ₹20–25 lakh and expand her market beyond India.
JEEViKA Support Drives Women’s Enterprise
Rural Development and Information & Public Relations Minister Shravan Kumar congratulated Aamna on her achievement.
He said rural women associated with JEEViKA are using their skills and group-based support to build livelihoods and move towards self-reliance.
Aamna’s journey shows how traditional skills, access to credit and self-help group networks can help rural women move from household-level work to sustainable enterprises. Her growing lac bangle business also highlights the potential of Bihar’s traditional crafts to create jobs and reach wider markets.
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