Mahalakshmi

"Initially I was a bit skeptical, but the Kinara officer reassured me, and we got the loan within 3 days. Now I’m a HerVikas businesswoman!"

The journey of starting a business can be that much more difficult for women entrepreneurs, because they are constantly faced with systemic biases and stigma based on traditional gender roles. Mahalakshmi, who runs Mahalakshmi Fancy And Tailoring Store in Bangalore, was well aware of the challenges when she decided to start her business. She struggled to get the shop off the ground, and had no real support system to rely on. But after the initial hurdles, she was able to get the business up and running. It was going well, when she found herself in need of capital to stock up for the festive season. She applied for a loan to several lenders to improve her inventory, but to no avail.

Then she was approached by a Kinara representative and told about HerVikas loans and how it could help her business. She shared, “I was skeptical about it at first. It was hard to believe that they really wanted to give us a loan, after so many rejections. But the loan officer encouraged me to go ahead, and we got the loan amount within 3 days!”

Mahalakshmi is well aware of the challenges women entrepreneurs face, but can see the first signs of change in the way the system is skewed against them. “If women want to step out of the home and work, in most cases their husbands don’t allow them to. That’s the way it is. But things are changing, and since we are now starting our own businesses, it’s great to have Kinara there to support us. Now I’m a HerVikas business woman!” she said.