Pragathi Shg

Out here in Baggeswaram near Palakollu, life moves at its own pace. We are surrounded by green fields and plenty of trees in West Godavari. Our group, Pragathi Shg, operates out of a small building that’s easy to miss if you aren't looking for it. It’s a modest space where we do our work together. We are just local people trying to build something for our community. Most of our days are spent working on the small orders we get. We don't have fancy machinery, so a lot of it is manual and takes a bit of time. We sit on the floor or on low stools and just get to it. The breeze from the fields helps when it gets hot, but mostly it’s just the sound of us talking and working. We manage our own schedules, which is good because we all have homes and farms to look after too. It’s not a high-pressure environment. If the work takes an extra day, it takes an extra day. We trust each other and that’s what keeps the group going. We don't really have a front desk or anyone to answer the phones; we just check messages when we can. It’s a very local, down-to-earth setup. It’s just how we get by here in Baggeswaram, even if it’s just a small operation in a quiet village.