self help: Including women through self-help groups

Posted online: Thursday, July 20, 2006 at 0000 hours IST When State Bank of India got into Wmicro-financing five years ago,it bet on women-led Self-Help Groups (SHGs).Today it lends to all kinds of SHGs with nearly seven million beneficiaries across the country – a vast majority is still women. Lending has touched nearly 1,800 crore rupees and the repayment record is close to 99%-SBI seems to have picked up the right gender to back. This is leading to financial as well as social empowerment.A case in point,Sabitri SHG in Kuruguda Village in Kalahandi – one of the most backward districts in India,formed by women,who had no means of livelihood,received a loan of 2.3 lakh rupees for fish-farming.The group now earns 25,000 rupees per month. Ads By Google NRIs - Get 6.45% interest ICICI Bank NRI Fixed Deposits Invest today! www.icicinri.net/nrifixeddeposit Rural Livelihoods MA Study rural development and global change in English in The Hague www.iss.nl Children International Make a difference in a child’s life for $18 a month. Sponsor today! children.org NRI's Earn 8% Interest Upto 8% Returns On Deposits. Sign Up Now to Open NRI Service A/C Abnamro.co.in/nri/index.html SBI supported women SHGs are doing well in numerous places,Bichpuri in Uttar Pradesh,Nagpur,Nashik, Andhra Pradesh,Kerala and Gujarat.Income generation SBI: Including women through self-help groups activities include fish farming,vermicompost making,spice-trading, pottery making,dairy- farming,bamboo-craft and wood carving.The loan amount ranges from 14,000 to 3.5 lakh rupees. Many of these women were landless laborers earning no more than 30- 40 rupees a day,while others remained indoors. Today,they have become self- reliant earning as much as 2,500 rupees per month and are also full of confidence.In Bichpuri, an area historically marked with communal issues – all communities have come together as SHGs and are leading a prosperity driven harmonious life.