Kudumbashree - Printing and reaping success: Success Story of Swathi Offest Printers

A group of women from the Chemmanand Grama Panchayath Community Development Society (CDS) of Kasaragod district of Kerala built up their life through their relentless hard work of 15 years. Their success story has got the imprints of print ink. It is the Swathi Offset Printers functioning at the building of the Urban Bank Building, Chattanchal, Kasaragod.  Their annual turnover is more than Rs 1.5 crores. This enterprise can be considered as a model for many which had proved that even women can succeed in printing industry.

Evolution of Swathi Offset Printers

Swathi Offset Printers was launched in 2003 by 10 Kudumbashree Neighborhood group women. They wanted to find a livelihood of their own and after discussions within their group they started their own enterprise in the name ‘Swathi Graphics’.

At first, they availed a loan of Rs 1500 from their neighborhood group and rented a room. Now they have multi-colour offset printing and has assets worth about Rs 37 lakh. They started their work by printing visiting cards. During the initial days, they got their works printed from other press.  But with the relentless support of their Panchayath they started growing.  They also availed financial assistance of Rs 2 lakhs from Kudumbashree and also using the bank loan, they started growing. During 2005 they purchased offset printing technology.

They have started getting the work orders from Kudumbashree District Mission, Panchayaths, Various government organizations, schools, colleges and other institutions. They worked even more harder during day and night. During 2010, they purchased a multicolor printer worth Rs 5.50 lakhs without availing any bank loan. Using the technology fund issued by Kudumbashree Mission, they purchased more machineries for their printing press. During 2017, they bought Xerox machines and multi-color printers worth Rs 17 lakhs and their enterprise grew more. Now Swathi Printers has turned into an enterprise that the people of their place are proud of.

The women behind this enterprise are Smt. Padmini, Smt. Vasanthakumari, Smt. Shakunthala, Smt. Shobhana, Smt. Anitha, Smt. Sheeja, Smt. Bhargavi, Smt. Savithri, Smt. Sharadha, Smt. Usha, Smt. Shyamala, Smt. Thambayi and Smt. Preetha. These women are running this enterprise together.

Rs 15000-Rs 18000 is given to the members of Swathi Offset Printers as monthly income. Many of them had built their own houses and even had brought properties out of this income they had received from this enterprise. They are now saving their profit and are using that for the development of their enterprise-Swathi Offset Printers. Thereby they are getting ready to reach out to more and more heights.  

Choosing and starting the right enterprise at the right time really matters. The success story of the Swathi Offset Printers can be considered a better epitome of practical wisdom. By successfully running Swathi Offset Printers, the micro entrepreneurs of Kudumbashree Mission had proved that they can succeed in any industry.  What matters most is the aptitude, determination and self-confidence to make the dreams real!