At 70 years of age, Angur Rana from Kalagachia village, Kolaghat, West Bengal, had long battled financial hardship.
Unmarried and sharing her modest home with her widowed sister, Angur survived by crafting paper packets and incense sticks.
In 2017, a seed of change was sown, when HelpAge India helped form the ‘Ma Annapurna Elder- Self-Help-Group’.
Angur, along with eleven other women, all aged sixty and above, became its founding members. Today she is the Group Secretary.
United by their shared struggle, they embarked on a new venture of making & selling flowers. With a small loan through the Elder- Self-Help-Group’, they started purchasing and selling Marigolds, China rose, and other flowers, turning petals into profits.
Their business flourished, and so did their confidence.
For Angur and her peers, this was more than income—it was Independence.
Today, not only are they financially secure, but they also extend support to other destitute elders in their village.
Through HelpAge’s continued support, Angur today has a Aadhaar card and has been able to access vital government schemes, including health coverage and pension benefits.
