’Arockia Sandhai’ concept helping women entrepreneurs showcase their produce: NABARD official

Appreciating the growth of ‘Arokiya Santhai’ (healthy market), a concept which was initiated in a micro level for and that it had grown like a banyan tree, NABARD District Development Manager A.S. Sakthibalan said on Saturday that it enabled women to showcase their goods in an organised manner under one umbrella.

Speaking at the ‘mupperum vizha’ organised by VAPS, he said that such an effort by women would not only give them economic independence, but also empowerment. He assured all support from the NABARD for enhancement of the concept.

The Arokiya Santhai jointly organised by VAPS Training Centre and Green Fem Women Producers Company at the Gandhi Memorial Museum, Madurai, has become a living demonstration that gender equality is built not just through skill training, but through what women do with it afterward — organizing themselves, running a collective, and proving their entrepreneurship in a real marketplace. Conducted every month with a different theme, Arokiya Santhai has grown into a happening space where women-led production, local economic strength, and economic empowerment come together in one place.

The stalls at this edition were entirely organised by the women’s collective, Green Fem Producer Company, in association with VAPS. According to organizers, around 80 stalls were set up, all featuring products locally manufactured.

Welcoming the gathering, VAPS Training centre secretary S.A. Arul, said that women entrepreneurs are increasingly taking independent initiatives to produce quality products and are successfully marketing directly through Arokiya Santhai.

Green Fem Women Producers Company, Director R Elamathi said that the organization is a federation of women entrepreneurs engaged in various business sectors. She stated that women entrepreneurs often face several doubts, challenges and difficulties while starting and developing their businesses. Arokiya Santhai serves as a platform to address these challenges and provide opportunities for women to market their products in a systematic and effective manner.

As part of the Teacher’s Day Celebration, Thiagarajar School of Management Dean (Outreach) Manjula Nagarajan, and Kakkai Padiniyar Girls Higher Secondary School Headmistress R. Nagajothi were honoured with the Best Teacher Award.

Gandhi Memorial Museum Secretary Nandha Rao spoke. VAPS Project Officer M. Subbarajan said that a training programme on mushroom cultivation was conducted in which a large number of women participated.