Woman entrepreneur encourages Manipuri youth to become self reliant

IMPHAL, Jan. 22: Twenty-seven-year-old Nongmaithem Momita who hails from Yaiskul Chingakham Leirak is one of the Manipur’s most promising entrepreneurs, and is running a food processing unit.

After her post graduation in commerce, she expanded her mother’s business and launched ‘Mom‘s Goo Goo Food’, a food processing unit in June 2015. She employs a staff of five people and plans to further expand the business.  

“At first my mom, dad and I were part of this business. My mom would do the cooking and my dad would help in the packaging and then I would sell it to the retailers. Now, we are able to provide employment opportunities to five to six women in our locality and there are many more who are willing to work in my unit but due to lack of funds or some other issues we cannot hire them. However, we will soon employ them and further increase the production,” said Momita.

“When I started for the first time, this business was very small. I used to buy two to three kilos of meat and prepare it alone. Sometimes, my husband used to help me in packaging and I would sell it only for Rs. 10 per packet. Now, we have different ranges of products because of my daughter’s hard work,” said Nongmaithem Luxmi, Mother of Momita.

The unit produces items like dry meat with spice, dry meat with bamboo shoot, dry meet shingju and pork meat pickle. These products are also available in the local shops.

“It is very good. Now we have only four items and we are planning to produce more other items. I am earning around 6000- 7000 per month. Before I used to depend on my husband but now I have my own income so I mage my own expenditure and other household requirements,” said Chongtham Ongbi Sunita, a staff

“If we produce more products and improve the quality then there is a chance that we can export. The food quality is very good and it’s very hygienic. We have not registered any complaint about the product,” said Pholendro, a retailer customer.

The Centre’s ‘Skill India’ initiative will motivate more women entrepreneurs from the northeast to start new ventures.

It will also help boost the economy and generate more employment opportunities. (ANI)