Telangana: A sweet deal for women farmers

Hyderabad: There are lakhs of widow farmers in the State, who are unable to handle the loss and with no source of livelihood they are left to fend for themselves without a direction or mentor to guide them.

Hyderabad-based social enterprise Startup Millgro Superfoods has come up with a campaign to help women farmers earn a better income and provide nutritious food to thousands of orphaned and disabled children.

Explaining about the campaign, Venkata Krishna Deep Rayaprolu,Director,Millgro Superfoods, says, "The name Millgro comes from 'growth through millets'. We source millets from the women farmer-beneficiaries from villages across Telangana and then make millet cookies which are nutritious, containing high fibreand low sugar. We are running the campaign on Donatekart where one can buy packs of cookies according their donation amount, which further will be distributed amongst the needy."

The beneficiaries are identified through NGO partner - Aranya. Five women farmers in Zaheerabad district are being aided by this campaign and the cookies are distributed in five NGOs across Hyderabad besides distributing to children with disabilities, orphans and patients and their attenders in government hospitals.

One millet cookie pack costs Rs 350 and contains 20 small packs each consisting of six to seven cookies. By donating a pack one can help the women farmers to earn a better livelihood and thousands of orphaned and disabled children.

The current campaign would be ending in the second week of July. They have a target to collect donations enough to produce 3,000 kilos of cookies which can fill 60,000 packets.

"Once we reach the target or the campaign ends the deficit amount would be covered by us. We will then produce and distribute the cookies after the campaign ends," concludes Venkata Krishna Deep Rayaprolu.