Feisty Kiran, who finds a mention in the class IV NCERT textbook, is a role model for women in her neighbourhood in Patna. The reason?
Kiran, a junk dealer, today enjoys the grudging respect of her male counterparts for her professionalism and straightforward attitude.
Married off at 14, she found herself helping at her in-laws’ modest tea-stall and struggling to make ends meet. She got the idea of opening her own recycling yard when she realised that empty milk packets and other such waste could be sold for profits.
“I took a loan of Rs 14,000 from the Nidaan organisation to begin my business,” said Kiran, who was in the capital recently at the launch of a campaign to promote literacy among women. She admitted that she was often on the verge of tears as buyers offered low rates or threatened to go to other junk dealers.
However, she refused to give up and today enjoys the support of her community and neighbourhood.
“I now sell firewood to poor women at low rates. I make and sell dung cakes also. I sell saris. I also help other women get loans from Nidaan to start businesses,” she said.
“If anybody ever bothers us, we call the police and it is promptly sorted out,” she said with a twinkle in her eye when asked if she faces any problem running her business on account of being a woman.
Kiran wants her three children to receive good education. Realising its importance, she wants them to be more successful than her.