From Home Corners to Community Change: How Sandhya is Leading the Way

In Bhetkipur, West Bengal, Sandhya Rani Halder tends to her mushroom setup tucked neatly in a shaded corner of her home. What began as a simple experiment has become a steady source of income and better health for her family. With support from Reliance Foundation and training from Ramakrishna Ashram Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Sandhya and other women have mastered mushroom cultivation using paddy straw, ropes, and bamboo.

Community centres, developed with Reliance Foundation’s support, turned into hands-on learning spaces-teaching women to grow mushrooms, understand their nutritional value, and support one another.

Soon, their homes turned into mini farms. Even during peak summer, they found ways to keep going-growing mushrooms in shaded indoor spaces.

Today, many of these women are no longer just cultivators-they are mentors, guiding others in their villages.

“Our children are healthier, and we earn a little more,” says Sandhya. “It feels like we’ve found treasure in our own backyards. More than anything, it’s the belief in ourselves that’s grown.”

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