Sengeni, a resident of Vairapuram village and a member of the Irular community, struggled to make ends meet as a daily wage laborer while her husband’s income alone was insufficient to support their family and two school-going sons. Life began to change when the PALAVAI Centre formed the Ilaya Kanni Irular Women Self-Help Group in her village. Sengeni became an active member, eventually taking on the role of assistant leader.

Inspired by discussions during Community meetings, Sengeni decided to buy a cow to secure an additional income. Financially constrained, she received an interest-free loan from PALAVAI, enabling her to purchase the cow. Dedication to this new livelihood allowed her to sell milk, repay her debts, and invest in her children’s education.