Women Empowerment: Self Help Groups (SHGs) of women below poverty line.

Inherent talent in women with economic empowerment can transform families, consequently the society. It has been established that investing in women offers the most effective means to improve health, nutrition, hygiene and educational standards of families and consequently of the whole of society.

SHGs of women are formed to enable women below poverty line to have an access to micro finance so that they can lift themselves out of poverty with dignity. This way it is possible to bring the disadvantaged women within the fold of an organizational format. With tiny loans, financial services and technology, the poor women can start self-sustaining businesses to escape poverty. Thus through SHGs one can reverse the age-old vicious circle of "low income, low saving & low investment” into virtuous circle of "low income, injection of credit, investment, more income, more savings, more investment, and more income”.

Bridge Trust has so far motivated more than 4000 poor women from Thane District to form around 370 SHGs.


Objectives of the SHGs project initiated by Bridge Trust.

  1. To mobilize, organize the needy women in Thane District.
  2. To inculcate saving habit (thrift) among these women.
  3. To establish an effective, alternative credit system for these women in the operation area and eliminate their exploitation by money lenders.
  4. To train them in handling of accounts including sanction of loans to fellow-members and collection of repayments.
  5. Capacity building through education, awareness camps and vocational guidance programs. and,
  6. To create opportunities for income generation through self-employment.
 
Mobilizing tribal women thru cultural activities.   Motivating women in Kothla to form SHG
                          groups.
SHG members given training in Handling of Bank Accounts.  SHG members at the bank for opening of
                    the account.

Income Generating Activities started by our SHGs.

• Goat rearing /    Poultry • Carpentry • Decorators
  (Pandal and
  other   accessories)
• Masala / Papad    Making • Ration Shop • Moulding of
   leaves for making
   plates and bowls
• Kitchen Garden    vermicomposting • Candle making • Paper bags
   making
• Tailoring

 
SHG members in Kamdipada attending training in Vermicomposting. Candle making training session in progress.
Goat rearing by SHG in Waghwadi.     Plantation of fruit bearing trees through
        SHG members in Kamdipada.
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Copyrights 2006, The Bridge Trust