When fifteen migrant workers returned to Sons village in Latehar district, Jharkhand, during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, they carried little more than heartbreak and hopelessness. Between March 2020 and October 2021, over 9.6 lakh migrants were forced to return to Jharkhand as livelihoods in cities like Delhi and across South India disappeared overnight.

These fifteen young men had left their drought-prone, economically fragile village years ago for daily wage work. With Latehar’s poor rainfall and limited agricultural prospects, they had little choice but to migrate. But when COVID-19 struck, they were among the many reverse migrants who returned home, not by choice, but to survive.

Back in Sons village, they faced harsh realities: no jobs, income, or direction. Pandemic restrictions made even daily wage labour difficult to find. The community was under strain, and so were their families.

Then came a spark of change. In 2022, Caritas India’s Gram Nirman program was introduced to the village. Through it, these returnee migrants were exposed to the Asset-Based Community Development (ABCD) model promoted by Caritas India, a decisive shift in thinking that encouraged them not to focus on what they had lost, but instead to identify and harness what they already had.

Inspired by the ABCD approach, the fifteen men formed the Suryamukhi Farmers Club, a collective built on trust, shared hardship, and a commitment to rebuild their lives locally. Their first action wasn’t to start a project, but to listen and observe. They began by mapping community spending patterns and identifying areas where money leaked from the village.

What they found was eye-opening. During weddings, religious festivals, and social events, the community spent large amounts of money renting tents, utensils, lighting, and sound systems, most of which came from outside vendors. Even the poorest families, just to maintain social norms, borrowed at high interest from moneylenders and Mahajan.

The group saw not just a problem but a solution. Pooling their resources and planning carefully, the Suryamukhi Farmers Club launched a community-based tent house enterprise. They began modestly in 2022, buying a set of utensils. By February 2025, they had expanded their inventory to include a generator, lighting, and traditional musical instruments, investing ₹71,000. These items are rented out at affordable prices, i.e., ₹300 for utensils and ₹800 for the generator and lights, with no charge to any group member who uses them.

The enterprise has already earned ₹7,500 and, more importantly, has reduced the outflow of money from the village. It has prevented families from falling into debt traps and ensured that essential event services are accessible within the community. The group plans to expand further to include all items needed for tent house services. This locally-rooted solution has strengthened community ties, fostered unity, and restored a sense of dignity to the returnee migrants.

What began as a desperate return home is a story of self-reliance and resilience. The Suryamukhi Farmers Club is now a symbol of how communities can thrive when they build from within. By identifying local strengths and responding collectively to shared needs, these returnee migrants have secured their livelihoods and revived a sense of pride and harmony in their village. Their journey is a powerful example of how reverse migration can lead to sustainable, community-led development when supported with the right approach.