Born into a poor laborer family, Parvati Devi experienced poverty up close. Her marriage to a farmer from another impoverished family did not improve matters but still it did not deter her. Driven by a desire to escape the clutches of poverty, she became part of a self-help group through couple of  NGOs. The habit of saving through small savings improved her family’s financial condition, and her confidence grew. She formed and led a women’s group, becoming an inspiration and guide for other women like herself. Parvati’s husband, Shrichandra, struggled to support the family with his daily wage labor work. Encouraged by Parvati, he pursued his aspiration to become a mason. However, due teo lack of funds, he could not buy the necessary tools. Parvati, using the savings from her self-help group, bought the tools for him, thus supporting and motivating him in his new trade. The family’s income increased, but frequent illnesses drained their finances, often forcing them to take loans. The situation worsened with the additional expenses incurred for  their eldest son’s marriage and the arrival of their daughter-in-law.

Amidst these challenges, Sonata Company visited Parvati’s village to form groups. Recognizing her experience in group management, they approached her.

She joined Sonata, managing transactions but struggled to repay loans due to health issues in the family. During a center meeting, representatives from FINISH Mondial (Trust of People) joined Sonata officials and highlighted the link between poor sanitation and frequent illnesses, which hindered family progress despite financial stability. They explained that the lack of a toilet at home led to many problems, including infectious diseases, fear of wild animals, road accidents, and harassment of women. They emphasized the necessity of having and using toilets for achieving prosperity and offered a loan for toilet construction. This revelation proved an  eye-opener for Parvati. She had felt distressed taking her new daughter-in-law to relieve herself on muddy paths at night but had no alternative. Wasting no time, she applied for a loan, and with the loan money, her family, led by her mason husband, built a toilet with their collective effort.