In a village in Uttar Pradesh, five women are showing how access to skills, financial independence, and the right support can turn a small rural initiative into a growing business.
In many rural communities, women contribute to their families through household work, farming, and childcare. Yet opportunities to earn an independent income and take part in business decisions can remain limited. For five women in Hussaini village, in Mathura district, Uttar Pradesh, a local mustard oil enterprise has opened a new path.
What began as an opportunity to learn a new skill has grown into a business that the women now manage together. They operate machinery, maintain financial records, manage supplies, prepare products for sale, and build relationships with customers. Their journey is not just about producing mustard oil. It is about gaining confidence, sharing responsibility, and creating opportunities through collective effort.
A New Opportunity in a Familiar Village
The Hussaini Mustard Oil Enterprise was established in 2023 with an investment of ₹14 lakh. The initiative received support from the S M Sehgal Foundation through a project supported by HDFC Bank Parivartan, alongside contributions from the local community.
The idea was connected to the needs of the area. Mustard oil is widely used by households in the region, making it a product with local demand. A community-based business offered women an opportunity to participate in an established market while building skills that could support their families.
However, setting up the machinery was only one part of the challenge. The women also needed to gain technical knowledge, understand business operations, and build trust within their families and community.
For some participants, working outside the home required difficult conversations with relatives. Household duties and childcare also had to be balanced with their new responsibilities.
Despite these challenges, the women chose to move forward.
Learning Skills That Once Seemed Out of Reach
Among the women is Anchal, a resident of Hussaini village who joined the enterprise in November 2023. Before taking up this work, most of her time was spent managing her household, caring for her children, and supporting family responsibilities.
Anchal wanted to do something beyond her daily routine. The enterprise gave her a chance to work, earn money, and contribute more directly to her family’s needs.
At first, operating the oil extraction machine was unfamiliar and intimidating. With guidance and practical training, she gradually learned how to handle the equipment and understand the production process.
Today, she helps manage the unit’s operations and keeps track of important details, including stock and records.
Her work has also given her greater financial independence. She earns approximately ₹5,000–₹6,000 per month, which helps her contribute to household expenses and her children’s medical care.
Preeti, another member of the enterprise, followed a different path to reach the same goal. Originally from Haryana, she had completed her bachelor’s degree and previously worked as a teacher. After marriage, her daily life became centred on household duties and agricultural work.
She wanted another opportunity to work and use her abilities. Through a local self-help group, she became involved in the mustard oil initiative.
Preeti and the other women received training in operating the machinery and handling the different stages of production. They also learned about financial management, stock control, and business planning.
Over time, the work that once appeared unfamiliar became part of their everyday routine.
Five Women, One Business, Shared Responsibility
The enterprise is operated by five women associated with the Shri Ji self-help group. Each member has responsibilities that help the business function smoothly.
The group’s president coordinates meetings, reviews accounts, and helps develop market connections. The treasurer manages financial records, expenses, and cash flow. The secretary oversees operational records, monitors inventory, and participates in business decisions.
Other members handle essential production activities, including cleaning mustard seeds, extracting oil, filtering the finished product, filling bottles, sealing containers, and packaging them for customers.
These responsibilities require more than technical knowledge. The women must also coordinate their work, maintain records, understand customer needs, and make decisions together.
Their collective approach allows each member to contribute to the enterprise’s growth while sharing responsibility for its performance.
The business has also challenged traditional assumptions about women’s ability to manage machinery and commercial operations. By learning the work themselves, the members have demonstrated that rural women can take on technical and managerial roles when they receive suitable opportunities and support.
From Local Production to a Wider Market
As the women became more confident in managing the business, their customer base expanded beyond Hussaini and nearby villages.
The enterprise now serves customers in several parts of Uttar Pradesh, including Mathura, Aligarh, and Bulandshahr. Its market also reaches areas of Haryana, such as Gurugram, Faridabad, Palwal, and Hodal, along with parts of Rajasthan.
According to figures reported by the S M Sehgal Foundation, the enterprise generated sales worth ₹6,53,980 between January and August 2026. During the same period, the women sold approximately 2,995.5 litres of mustard oil and 3,841.5 kilograms of oil cake, a by-product of oil extraction.
Since commercial operations began in November 2023, cumulative sales have crossed ₹24 lakh.
These figures reflect the progress of a community enterprise that has moved beyond its initial setup phase and established connections with customers across several locations.
The group also follows a shared financial arrangement. A portion of its earnings is reserved for maintenance, while the remaining amount is distributed equally among the five members. The group can also keep a member’s share for future use or lend money to another member under its agreed arrangement.
This approach helps the women manage both the needs of the business and their individual financial responsibilities.
How Financial Independence Is Changing Everyday Life
For the women, the value of the enterprise extends beyond sales figures.
Anchal can now contribute towards her children’s treatment and other household expenses. Having her own earnings means she can respond more quickly when her children need medicines, without relying entirely on another family member’s income.
For Preeti, the additional income helps with school fees, household costs, and savings. Her work has also allowed her to travel for meetings and interact with people outside her immediate community.
These changes have influenced how the women see themselves and how their families view their work.
Earning money has given them a greater role in household decisions. Learning new skills has strengthened their confidence. Working with other women has also helped them develop relationships beyond their previous social circles.
Progress, however, does not mean every barrier has disappeared. Family expectations and household responsibilities continue to shape their lives. Their experience shows that economic opportunity can create meaningful change, even when social change takes time.
The Importance of Community Support
The enterprise’s development was supported by the S M Sehgal Foundation, which worked with the community during the initiative’s early stages.
The support included efforts to build trust, engage family members, and prepare the women for the practical demands of running a business. Training covered technical operations as well as financial literacy, inventory management, and other essential business skills.
Eight women received technical training, including the five who now run the enterprise.
The organisation’s approach was to help the women gain the ability to manage the business themselves rather than depend permanently on outside assistance.
This distinction matters. Equipment and initial funding can help establish a business, but long-term progress also depends on knowledge, market access, sound financial practices, and the confidence to make decisions independently.
The experience in Hussaini demonstrates how these elements can work together to support a locally managed enterprise.
A Model of Growth for Rural Women
The mustard oil unit is part of a wider effort to strengthen women’s participation in rural livelihoods. Similar initiatives across India have helped women explore new forms of work, improve access to markets, and participate in collective enterprises.
In Maharashtra, women involved in a self-help group have developed a Custom Hiring Centre that provides agricultural machinery services. In Karnataka, hundreds of women have become shareholders in a horticulture-based farmer producer company.
These initiatives differ in their activities, but they share a common idea: women can participate in business ownership and management when they have access to the necessary skills, resources, and support systems.
The experience of Hussaini also highlights the value of building enterprises around local needs. Mustard oil was already an important household product in the region. By working with a product familiar to local customers, the women could focus on learning production, managing costs, and expanding sales.
Looking Ahead: Building a Stronger Future
The five women have already taken on responsibilities that once seemed beyond their reach. They now understand the machinery, oversee production, maintain accounts, and participate in decisions that shape the business.
Their ambitions extend beyond the enterprise’s present achievements.
Anchal hopes the initiative will continue to grow and create opportunities for other women in her village. Her immediate priority remains the well-being of her children and providing them with the care they need.
Preeti also hopes to strengthen the business so it can provide a more secure future for her family. She wants her children to receive a good education and have opportunities to choose their own paths.
For both women, the enterprise represents more than employment. It offers a way to contribute to their families while building confidence in their own abilities.
The story of Hussaini is a reminder that meaningful change does not always begin with a large company or a major investment. Sometimes, it begins with a local need, a group of people willing to learn, and an opportunity to take responsibility.
Five women came together to learn how to produce and sell mustard oil. Today, they share the work of running a business, earning an income, and planning for the future.
Their journey shows what can happen when women are given the chance not only to participate in an enterprise but also to lead it.
