Bringing the Market Home: GJKS Launches First ‘Hamaragaon Smart Store’ to Boost Rural Livelihoods
Producing high-quality goods is only half the battle; selling them is the other half. For too long, the women of our Self-Help Groups (SHGs) faced a difficult choice: spend their entire day traveling to distant city markets to sell their produce, or sell to middlemen at throwaway prices.
GJKS is proud to announce the solution: The Hamaragaon Smart Store.
We have established our very first retail outlet dedicated exclusively to products made by rural women. This is not just a shop; it is a bridge between the hardworking village producer and the local consumer.
The Smart Store Model: Zero Rent, Maximum Profit
The biggest enemy of a small business is overhead cost. Shop rent, electricity bills, and maintenance often eat up the small profits a rural woman makes.
The Hamaragaon Smart Store changes the rules of the game.
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Rent-Free: GJKS provides the space entirely free of cost.
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Direct Sales: Women sell directly to the customer. There are no middlemen taking a cut.
Because the women do not have to pay for the shelf space, every rupee earned from a sale goes directly towards their livelihood and family welfare.
What’s on the Shelves?
The store showcases the best of Ballia, produced fresh by our SHG members using the machinery and training provided by GJKS. Customers can now buy:
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Authentic Foodstuffs: Freshly ground Bhatti Sattu, pure Besan, and handmade Papads.
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Household Items: Hand-rolled Incense sticks (Agarbatti) and Candles.
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Seasonal Produce: Fresh fruits and vegetables from local farms.
By buying from the Hamaragaon Smart Store, the community gets fresh, unadulterated products, and the money stays within the village economy.
A Pilot for a Bigger Vision
This first store is just the beginning. We are treating this as a pilot project to test the market and refine our operations.
Our vision is ambitious: If this model proves successful, GJKS pledges to replicate the Hamaragaon Smart Store in different villages across the district. We envision a network of these stores, creating a decentralized supply chain where rural women are the leaders of commerce.
Shop Local, Change Lives
We invite the community to visit the store and experience the quality of rural craftsmanship. When you shop at Hamaragaon Smart Store, you aren’t just buying a packet of Sattu or a box of incense—you are validating the hard work of a village daughter.
