Thanks to Aide et Action's vocational training project in India, Persaralin Dohling, a farmer and mother of four, has become a woman entrepreneur, a trainer and a source of inspiration for all the members of her community. The state of Meghalaya where she lives has congratulated her by giving her the best entrepreneur award this year. 

"I studied until the end of primary school and then I worked the land and raised cattle all my life. I would have liked to make and sell my own products but I lacked the skills and had no time with my four children to attend training. One day I heard about Aide et Action's vocational training project and signed up. I learned different techniques to improve my production and make chips, fruit juices, preserves... Today, I sell them in shops and in the neighbouring villages.

Educate yourself and others

I have always had a desire to help and support others. So after the training, I passed on my knowledge to other farmers and together we now sell our products in local markets. I also trained other community members in mushroom growing and piglet farming. I have even been able to recruit and train young people who were previously unemployed. I myself never miss an opportunity to train as soon as I can in marketing, business... It is essential, doing different activities is indispensable, it allows you to acquire knowledge and experience in many fields and to ensure a minimum income if an activity fails.

For his journey and success, both the State of Meghalaya and the authorities of his village of Umiet awarded him the Best Entrepreneur Award and a grant of Rs 50,000 (CHF 600).