What does 166% growth in millet and 185% in buckwheat look like? In the quiet village of Laitlawsnai in Meghalaya’s South West Khasi Hills, it seems like a group of ten women who dared to dream, dig, and deliver. In just one year, the Mawblei Self-Help Group (SHG) transformed their humble harvest into a thriving enterprise, proving that with determination, knowledge, and sisterhood, even the smallest farms can bloom into stories of abundance.

Formed in October 2015, the Mawblei SHG began as a collective of women bound by a shared struggle to uplift their families through better livelihood opportunities. Before formal support arrived, these women took charge of their learning. They trained in organic farming, livestock rearing, composting, mushroom cultivation, and paddy farming, setting the foundation for self-reliance.

Their breakthrough came when the FARM Northeast project, supported by Caritas India and implemented locally by the Nongstoin Social Service Society (NSSS), reached their village. The group embraced eco-friendly agricultural practices like millet and buckwheat cultivation and vermicompost production. These women were not just farming; they were experimenting, innovating, and growing in every sense.

The year 2023 marked a turning point. As the world celebrated the International Year of Millets, Mawblei SHG proudly harvested 30 kg of millet and 7 kg of buckwheat. Eager to build on their success, all ten members joined a focused training in early 2024 on millet and buckwheat cultivation, organized by NSSS with NABARD support. This session lit a spark; two members began experimenting with millet-based baking, using hand grinders, firewood, and traditional pans in place of modern equipment.

By the end of 2024, their hard work bore sweet fruit. The group recorded a 166% increase in millet production and 185% growth in buckwheat, harvesting 80 kg of millet and 20 kg of buckwheat. The visit of NABARD’s District Development Manager, Smt. Philakyntiew Nongkynrieh brought further encouragement; she facilitated a grinding machine and oven for the group, helping them scale their efforts.

“The grinding machine is not just for the SHG, it’s for the whole village,” says Batkular Lyngdoh, a Community Educator with NSSS. “Now, even farmers who once hesitated to grow millet or buckwheat are inspired to try, seeing the results right here.”

But the women aren’t stopping. Six members now produce vermicompost, and another, a traditional healer continues serving the community through indigenous knowledge. As demand grows for their grains and baked goods, the Mawblei SHG is setting its sights higher: expanding their farmland and dreaming of selling products under their own brand.

And the impact runs deeper than profit. It is well-proven that when women earn, the overall health, nutrition, and well-being of the family improve significantly. In Laitlawsnai, that change is already visible, children are better nourished, households are more stable, and women are more confident in shaping the future of their communities.

Their journey is more than just numbers; it demonstrates how rural women, when given knowledge and space, can drive transformative change. From seed to shelf, they are not just growing food; they are cultivating dignity, prosperity, and a future of their own making.