If you have a poultry shed, you have other businesses too

I met Sanghluni Khalthang and her friend Siamiv,who are both members of Hluni group at Sanghluni's home. While Sangluni used the loan amount of Rs 20,000 to buy around 50 chicks for her poultry shed, Siamiv used it to buy "Puans" the traditional skirts worn by women here. They both made good profits since July after taking the loan and diversified into different businesses. 

Sanghluni explains that the poultry shed does not reap immediate returns and one has to wait for three to five months until the chickens grow. Also, they do not need much attention.So she also invested some money in buying and selling second hand garments and helped her friend Siamiv in her business. They made mosquito nets, sold second hand garments, bed sheets, bed covers and other similar items. They get these items at wholesale rates from the market and sell them in their neighborhood. Sanghluni's husband who is a school teacher who was leaving for work when I reached Sanghluni's home, complained that his wife and her friends keep the best bed sheets and clothes for themselves and do not sell them in the market. He added jokingly that this reduces their profits drastically. Sanghluni explains that it is difficult to calculate her profits because the market keeps changing but she is able to make around Rs 3000- Rs 5000 per month. The loan did help Sanghluni to buy chicks and stock more items for her garment business but she hopes to get a bigger amount in order to expand her business.