Events

  REAP’S Self Help Groups (SHG)

REAP believes that literacy has no meaning unless linked with community development and the women is considered to be focal point for achieving desired development. With this view in mind the concept of Self Help Group is developed and even the Government has attached considerable importance to this aspect. According to the government policy it envisages to afford economic self reliance to women through microfinance and to implement the same through SHG. But for REAP SHG is not only medium/tool to make women economically self-reliant but also to empower her through number of awareness programmes so that she becomes a decision maker. Briefly REAP looks at the SHG as a tool for total empowerment of women. Towards this end REAP has been instrumental in initiating 60 SHGs so far with the support of CRS.

 As per the concept of the SHG the groups are supposed to collect a fixed monthly amount f rom the members, keep proper record of the amount collected, open account in the Bank, hold regular meetings, write minutes etc. In next 6 months the Group can start internal loaning, learn to charge interest, recover loan by fixed installment, recover interest etc. and to learn to keep the proper record of all the transactions. Once they have gained enough experience in the above mentioned areas they can approach the Bank for loan for income generation activity. During the period of one year they would have also acquired training in various economics activities. Role of our animators is to motivate the women to help themselves and provide guidance.

By now we have been instrumental into forming 60 SHGs with total membership of 1042. All the SHGs together have collected amount of Rs.8.40 lacs deposits from the members and have distributed loan of Rs.6.79 lacs. Normally all SHGs hold two meetings during the month. First meeting is sort of a business meeting wherein transactions such as collecting deposits, loan installments, interest, disbursement of fresh loan, completing passbooks of members, discussions on necessary matters etc. are done. In the second meeting training on income generation activity or awareness programme is organized.

Our SHGs have by now completed 9 months to one year and have acquired sufficient experience in accepting deposits, internal loaning, conducting meetings, writing minutes, keeping records etc. Numbers of Training programmes have also been conducted on starting income generation activities with or without finance. Through internal lending the members of the SHGs have learnt to properly manage, utilize and repay their SHG loans. Earlier the women used to pawn their ornaments to the money lenders for obtaining loan. Now it has stopped since they can take loan from SHG at reasonably low rate of interest. The groups are now ready to take up the economic activities and appear very enthusiastic about the same. The experience gained by the SHG in entire procedural aspects including internal loaning will help them in obtaining loan from Bank for income generation activity. Our 4 SHGs under supervision of one animator have already received Rs.56,000/- from Bank for internal loaning and similarly another 2 SHGs got loan of Rs.20,000/-.

While initiating of SHG we have tried to go about the same very systematically. We have first conducted series of training programmes for our local animators explaining them concept and meaning of SHG, its Rules and Regulations, election of office bearers such as President, Secretary, Treasurer etc., holding of meeting, writing of minutes, accepting fixed monthly deposits, opening of accounts of SHG in the Bank and maintaining record of the SHG. It was felt that unless the animators become well versed in the working of SHG they might not be in a position to guide the office bearers and members of the SHG since animators are the only persons available on the spot for guidance. Practical Training with exercise on how to write minutes, passbooks of the SHG members, maintenance of records was imparted. At a second stage, similar training was imparted to all presidents and secretaries, about 24 in number. Animator was supposed to be present for this Training compulsorily. Gradually such training was organized for all the office bearers of SHG under remaining animators.

We have also appointed one well qualified and experienced Women Co-ordinator, Sr. Theresa Lopes, S.C.J. to guide the animators and members of the SHG. She attends the maximum meetings of the SHG, ensures that the tempo is maintained provides necessary guidance and encourages the members of the SHG to continue the activities in right perspective. She provides detailed feedback to the Head Office on the working of SHG. This helps Head Office in getting first hand information about SHG at grassroot level and facilitates to revisit the strategies for proper developments of SHG.

Assisting her are 3 religious scholastics – Br. Santosh Eka ofm, Br. Varghese Lakra ofm, Br. Charles Vijay Kumar CSsR who are doing their regency with us. Not only are they alert and active, but they have added to the vitality of the organization with their observation, suggestions and encouragement. They conduct training sessions for women on income-generation. Needless to say, they are extremely popular and their visits are looked forward to.