“I used live an ordinary life – catching a few fish from the shores of my village. But one day I came across a relative of mine, who was returning from a big fishing expedition. He was a contractor for a boat owner and told me stories of catching hauls in a single trip worth 1lakh.

I was hooked and an idea sparked in my mind – what if I could buy my own boat and got on expeditions like this? I made some enquiries, and to build my own boat I needed 20lakhs – it seemed an impossible dream! But as a member of the Sorath Women’s Federation I had a glimmer of hope.

I appealed for a loan and was granted 4lakhs – it was a good start. Quickly I scraped together bits and pieces of money from various loans, family and savings and finally I had enough. My heart was in my throat from the risk of it all …

Gole Fish is a popular fish in the sea in my area and sells at a high price. I worked hard hauling in those gole fish, and it paid off! In one fishing expedition I caught 4tonnes of Gole Fish which sells at 1800Rs/Kg. I made 70lakh in that trip and could pay back my debts in one shot.

Sometimes, it pays to think big!’ - Venuben, Kodinar, Gujarat