An initiative of a group of women, a ‘She-for-She’ group have utilized social media to create a platform that is exclusively designed for women of Belagavi. Bela is doing miracles in helping the Belagavi ladies in sorting-out their various day to day problems. Bela has an encouraging membership of nearly 18,000 members (15,651 online). It is a non-profitable group that exclusively operates for the welfare of women.
Sunita Moogi, Sheetal Prakash, Amruta Bhide, Rupa Ghadi and Shrinidhi Adhyapak came together to form Bela, which means `Belgaum Ladies’.
They are the administrators of the group who ensure that Bela serves the purpose for which it is established. In the current scenario, Bela is doing wonders in earning orders for the Belagavi based women entrepreneurs by its members located in Belagavi or connected to Belagavi but settled elsewhere.
Sunita Moogi informs that Bela was created to provide a platform to Belagavi women to showcase their business, products, art, talent and more. She is of the view that Bela is acting like a bridge between the job seekers and job providers within the group without the involvement of any third party. Bela provides an excellent platform for women working from home and making household products and home food. She also added that it works on a `she for she’ concept where the women help each other in getting orders by giving leads and references. Bela has also been a friendly platform for the ladies to discuss health, share recipes, ask queries and get instant replies, she added.
While adding members to the group, the admins scan each member so that fake profiles or any male profiles are not added to the group, said Amruta. She said that only Belagavi women or women whose hometown was Belagavi are added to the group.
Amruta said that there are strict rules to be followed by the members while adding any post in the group. “As the products sold should be dealt by the woman solely and should not propagate the business of either her husband, relative or friend. The post should contain all the details and incomplete posts are not accepted. The business address should be only from Belagavi. Whenever there is any requirement the members should give first preference to women within the group” she added.
Success Stories:
1) Rekha Kapse was running a home-based food business on a small scale at Sadashiv Nagar in Belagavi. As her husband expired, she shifted to Channamma Nagar. She had the art of making delicious Puran poli and chutneys. She joined Bela group and urged the members to give her orders if any. The members responded in a very positive way by giving her orders and posting the feedback in the group. Today, Rekha supplies tiffins and also takes catering orders. Her business has grown multifold after joining Bela.
2) Girija Umadi was leading a normal happy life with her husband, a daughter and a son in Belagavi. In 2015, her daughter started facing serious health problems. In three months, she lost both her kidneys and now she is on daily dialysis. The finances started getting disturbed. One of her friends advised her to do the online business of ladies dress, materials and other clothes. She joined Bela and started posting about her products. As the group is very big she gets instant replies and orders. Bela has not only given her customers but new friends too.
3) Manisha’s (name changed) daughter completed her first year of college but had to stop studying due to financial problems. Manisha posted in the group that her daughter had to stop her education, had computer knowledge and was looking for a job. Within minutes, members responded with job offers at their office and she finally got the job at Subhash Photo Studio which was given by Swati Oulkar who is also a Bela member.
Many women like Manisha having financial problems, or are disabled or are in need of part-time job, other Bela Members have lent a helping hand.
4) With a dream of becoming a police officer during her graduation days, Rajeshwari Hiremath met with an accident during one of the road widening project areas in Belagavi and lost her right hand. Her dreams were scattered but not ended. She also had a passion for fashion designing and undertook training from Moolbharti Education Society. Very soon she opened a fashion institute to train women. She joined Bela group and posted about her dress designs and also courses offered by the Institute. The group members of Bela helped her in all possible ways by giving leads and references. Many group members joined her institute and have been trained in fashion designing. She posts about her designs and gets customers instantly.
To join ‘Bela’ all you need to do is to search BELA-Belgaum Ladies on Facebook and click the “join group” tab. If you are a woman and you are connected to Belagavi, your request will be approved by the admin. Bela Members can also invite and add other women friends who can benefit from the platform. Bela strongly believes that when Women support each other incredible things happen.
hello mam please meri humble request hai aapse muje apne bella belagum ladies group me.add karen muje mere products ko sell karne ki jarurat hai. muje buisness se jo b paise milenge mere kids ki education ke kaam ayenge plz this my humble request for u mam . iam from belgaum karnataka. mera fb account hai shagufta inamdar
Ashwini Holeyachi,
Hi all ladies of the group. I was working as a high school teacher. But due this covid we all guest teacher’s are at home without salary and without work. So any children’s who needs tuition pls inform. So pls provide a platform for me, it’s my humble request.
Belgaum Women Always Rock…..Go ahead Bela………