November 29th, 2019. In Bhunal Gaon’s community center, women gathered to share a painful truth: their backbreaking labor yielded barely 5% returns.Co-founder Vishal Vivek didn’t come with solutions—he came to listen to problems that had been whispered for too long.
What emerged wasn’t just agricultural failure—it was systematic silencing of rural women’s potential.
The Reality Check:
These weren’t unskilled farmers—they were masters of mountain agriculture working with impossible constraints. Limited market knowledge, no price negotiation power, crops chosen by tradition rather than economics. Their expertise was undeniable, but their returns were devastating.
The Awakening:
As stories poured out, patterns emerged. Women who managed entire farming operations had no say in crop selection. Mothers who dreamed of their children’s education watched profits disappear to middlemen. Skills honed over generations yielded subsistence, not success.
The Transformation:
Hemp farming offered something revolutionary: women as decision-makers, not just laborers. The plant that thrived in their difficult terrain also offered market value they’d never experienced. For the first time, agricultural expertise translated to economic empowerment.
The Ripple Effect:
When Bhunal’s women succeeded, neighboring villages took notice. The meeting that began with admissions of 5% returns became the foundation for enterprises yielding real profits. Women who’d felt trapped by traditional agriculture discovered they could transform it.
The Revolution:
Today, Bhunal Gaon’s women don’t just farm—they lead. Their success stories travel across Uttarakhand, inspiring other communities to reimagine rural women’s economic potential.
In Bhunal Gaon, women didn’t just learn about hemp—they learned about their own power.
