Empowering women, one meal at a time: The story of 'Didi Ki Rasoi' and Bihar's rural women

Patna/Muzaffarpur: In the crowded corridors of Patna Medical College and Hospital (PMCH), Poonam Devi, 40, moves with purpose.

Each day, she travels several kilometres from her village near Patna to work in the hospital canteen. But it is not any other canteen, she has its ownership.

“I used to work in my fields and earn nothing, but now I bring home money. My husband and in-laws were not happy with my decision to be part of a self-help group and go out of the house but once they saw the inflow of money, things changed," she said, adding that now she earns more than her husband and enjoys an autonomy which she didn't think was possible before.

Poonam is among the 3,952 women involved with 'Didi Ki Rasoi' (DKR), an initiative which began as a modest canteen in Bihar's Vaishali in 2018 but has now expanded into a network of 216 canteens throughout the state, with the aim to provide hygienic food at places like hospitals, government offices, and other institutions.

These canteens are run entirely by rural women who are part of self-help groups (SHGs) in Bihar. The DKR initiative is now actively running across Bihar, covering 36 district hospitals, 49 sub-division hospitals, 10 medical colleges and hospitals, 30 government offices and 91 SC/ST residential schools.

It has generated a total business of Rs 119 crore till now. Vimal Kumar, the block development manager for Didi Ki Rasoi in Patna, explained its distinctive model.

“Here, all didis are the owners and this sense of ownership really helps as it becomes not just a job for people here but a partnership. Not just that, the canteens have also helped curb corruption which was earlier seen in contractor-run canteens," he said.

The Covid-19 pandemic proved to be a testing time for these women when they continued to deliver food to hospitals and quarantine centres to ensure that patients and frontline workers had access to quality meals.

“It was a difficult time but it was also a time we knew we were needed the most. The food had to be of good quality and nutritious that could help patients fight the disease, so we continued to work,” Kanchan Devi, one of the cooks at a canteen in Vaishali, said.

For many, Didi Ki Rasoi has opened doors to not just financial independence but also self-respect. Like Rekha Kumari, 22, who works as a cashier at a canteen in Muzaffarpur’s Sadar hospital.

Even though her family's financial struggles forced her to leave school after Class 12 and marry young, she was committed to find a way to study and find work.

“I had to revolt against my family to join Didi Ki Rasoi so much so that my husband used to follow me to work because he was suspicious. But once I started bringing home money, they all had to accept my job,” she said.

Now, Rekha is saving money to continue her education and pursue her dream to become a chartered accountant.

Parvati Kumari, a cook at the Sardar Patel Bhawan canteen, shared similar struggles. Married at 14, she had to drop out of school. But after two decades, she has finally managed to earn independence through her job.

“I earn Rs 10,000 every month. My husband is a driver, and together we make Rs 40,000. Now my next focus is my children's education. I tell them that 'you can be anything you want. I will make sure of that',” she said.

But while the initiative has led to significant changes, challenges still exist.

Shobha Devi, a woman involved with the initiative, pointed out, “With inflation, we are still struggling to make ends meet. Now we want to grow our business by further expanding and supplying food at more stations, like we started very recently, supplying food to night shelters.” The initiative has also broadened its services to include roles such as safai karamcharis (sanitation workers), cloth stitching of patients, laundry services, and even helpdesks in hospitals to assist patients and visitors.

Despite challenges like inflation and plans for further expansion, these women remain determined to grow their enterprise and inspire others.

“The respect we did not get at home we get here. Even if we are unwell or the weather is adverse, we still come here because the appreciation we have yearned for all our life we get here,” Poonam said.

Her words were echoed by nearly all the women at the collectives – a movement which they said has empowered them, one meal at a time.

And as Poonam aptly put it, "This is just the beginning."