Malkangiri, Odisha,15 September 2026: Not long ago, many women from the Bonda community in the remote hills of Malkangiri had limited opportunities to travel beyond their villages, access markets, or participate in decisions about their livelihoods. Today, they are taking a different journey, one that is leading them towards greater confidence, leadership and economic independence.
A significant step in this transformation has been the establishment of a Common Facility Centre (CFC) at Bandiguda for Amakund Producer Company Limited, supported through the livelihood programme of Rise Against Hunger India. The CFC is now equipped with a dehydrator machine that is being operated by the women Board Members themselves, opening new possibilities for processing, value addition and income generation from locally available forest and agricultural produce.
Recently, a practical demonstration was conducted for the Board Members on the dehydration of jackfruit, curry leaves, moringa leaves and bamboo shoots. For the women, the machine represents more than a piece of equipment. It represents ownership.
The transformation of the Bonda women is rooted in a gradual process of collective empowerment. What began as a small informal group has evolved into Amakund Producer Company Limited, a women-led enterprise with women serving on its Board and taking responsibility for decisions related to their livelihoods.
Through the program, the women have received opportunities to strengthen their skills, understand enterprise management, access improved processing facilities and explore ways of adding value to products sourced from their own communities.
Their traditional knowledge of forest produce is now being combined with new skills and technology.
Jackfruit, bamboo shoots, moringa and curry leaves products that were once primarily consumed or sold in their raw form can now be processed, preserved, packaged and potentially taken to wider markets.
This transition is particularly significant for the Bonda community, whose livelihoods and culture are closely connected to the forest. The aim is not to replace traditional practices, but to build economic opportunities around the knowledge and resources that women already possess.
Dola Mohapatra, CEO, Rise Against Hunger India, said, “The real measure of a livelihood intervention is not simply whether an asset has been created, but whether the community is able to own it, operate it and generate value from it. Seeing the Board Members confidently operate the dehydrator is an important step in that journey. The opportunity now is to help them move beyond processing to building a sustainable business around their products.”
With the CFC and dehydrator now in their hands, the Bonda women are taking greater control of their products, their enterprise and their economic future while continuing to build a livelihood rooted in their land, knowledge and identity.
About Rise Against Hunger India
Rise Against Hunger India is an independent Indian nonprofit organisation working towards a hunger-free India. Its work focuses on Nourishing Lives, Empowering Communities, Responding to Emergencies, and Growing the Movement. Through partnerships with communities and stakeholders, the organisation works to address hunger and nutrition while strengthening livelihoods, resilience and opportunities for sustainable development.
