The beauty of modern technology is that
it has vastly speeded up communication and the transmission of
information, helping businesses to become more efficient and
productive. But this acceleration poses a real challenge for many
small business owners who can get left behind if they aren't "up
to speed". It's worse for those entrepreneurs living in rural
areas in countries with limited access to the kind of information
technology we take for granted, like a computer or a phone landline.
But for the women entrepreneurs in these same areas those
difficulties are multiplied by cultural traditions that often prevent
them from being included in local business networks and markets.
This is the reality for women business
owners living in rural Gujarat in India, where a group of them have
come together and work for a large cooperative, 'RUDI' , to sell
agricultural produce from local farmers. The women, known as
'Rudibens*' act as sales agents for the RUDI distribution network,
selling food and goods in their own villages. Demand is often very
high for the produce but it also fluctuates from season to season.
And in order to fill their local orders for the produce, Rudibens
have to travel long distances to bigger towns with RUDI centres,
wasting time and money. By the time too that these orders are
processed and delivered to the rural villages, the level of demand
has often changed and they will have lost money they might otherwise
have made. For the many women and families that rely on RUDI sales
for their livelihood, the inefficiency of the system is a real
problem.
Manjula, for example, started a
business selling RUDI products after her husband died, leaving her
with three children to support but no income. But because she has to
travel to process the orders she receives and finds it a struggle to
get childcare, she makes less money. And often the orders that she
makes are not delivered until weeks later, by which time demand has
changed leaving Manjula with produce she can't dispose of and less
income.
To address these difficulties that
stunt business growth for women like Manjula and other Rudibens,
Cherie Blair Foundation has partnered with the Vodafone Foundation in
India and the Self-Employed Women's Association (SEWA), which
oversees the RUDI network, to develop a mobile application tailored
to their needs. The women already have basic mobile phones but the
special app will allow them to engage in real-time communication with
the RUDI management, check supply levels and text orders
instantaneously. As a result, the burden of time and travel costs for
will be reduced and processing efficiency will dramatically increase.
This translates directly to higher income and more time for the women
to invest as they choose, such as developing their businesses and
caring for their families.
(Source: Huffington Post)