For years, women like Varsha Ben, Joshna Ben and Kajal Ben struggled with managing animal dung in their small living spaces. The dung heaps near their homes not only created significant health risks-such as frequent flu, diarrhoea and allergies-but also forced these women to rely on smoky firewood for cooking due to unaffordable gas options. “Earlier, I needed to clean and lift animal dung and urine three to four times a day, then walk a long-distance multiple times to dump it,” recalled Josha Ben. Entrepreneur led-village scale biogas model Shilp Verma and Tushar Shah from the International Water Management Institute (IWMI), with support from Sustain Plus — a grassroot collaborative platform developed a model that transforms these challenges into opportunities. Women sell animal dung to local entrepreneurs who use it for the production of biogas. This addresses hygiene issues, provides a cleaner cooking fuel alternative, and offers women additional income. Transformative impactsThe initiative has brought transformative changes to the lives of women:“Each member of our self-help group earns Rs 1,000–1,500 per month through this initiative," shares Varsha Ben, treasurer of Ramdevpir Sakhi Khad Sahakari Mandali. Meanwhile, Leela Ben said, “Using biogas balloons has reduced the coughing and breathing problems I experienced while cooking with firewood.”.Additionally, Kajal Ben shared that the collection of dung heaps has significantly reduced mosquito and fly infestations, as well as the odour around our homes. “My relatives and neighbors now approach me to ask how to earn money by selling dung,” said Varsha Ben with pride. Women also report spending more quality time with their families and engaging in productive activities.Building community and sustainabilityThe 18 women of the Ramdevpir Sakhi Khad Sahakari Mandali have formed self-help groups to share knowledge and support one another. The initiative has enhanced community cooperation, improved village cleanliness, and reduced sanitation-related diseases.Shah believes this model can succeed in other urban fringe areas where family biogas plants are unlikely to find acceptance. Success factors include:Substantial financial support from institutions such as lead financial institutions, commodity development boards, public institutions via schemes and policies.Addressing people’s need to manage dung and provide clean cooking fuelEnsuring model viability and replicability. This initiative is about more than biogas- it’s about enabling women towards financial independence, finding their ways to address their drudgery, improving their health, and encouraging sustainable development. Acknowledgement: This story was developed as part of the CGIAR storytelling training on gender-responsive solutions, with support from the CGIAR International Water Management Institute (IWMI) in Anand, Gujarat. Fieldwork was funded by the CGIAR Gender Impact Platform and the International Livestock Research Institute.Bhuvana Narayana Rao is a consultant with the science and innovation team at CIMMYT, New Delhi. Views expressed are author's own and do not necessarily reflect those of Down To Earth