The organization worked in Swashakti Project as facilitator from the year 2000 to 2005 in Block Nasrullaganj; District Sehore of Madhya Pradesh. The project is funded by IDA (International Development Association) & IFAD (International fund for Agriculture Development) & implemented by MPMVEVN (Madhya Pradesh Mahila Vitya Evam Vikas Nigam), Bhopal. The project aims at empowerment of women by facilitating a process of social change, which would have a position impact on their quality of life. The project strategy involves organizing women in self – help groups (SHGs). The organization is responsible for the development of women’s thru formation of SHGs in rural areas. To strengthen the socio-economic base of rural women through group approach, awareness generation, training and the provision of support services for the initiation of income generation activity / livelihood practices as sustainable employment.
Swa-Shakti:
The Project jointly funded by IFAD, World Bank and the Government of India was launched in October, 1999 and concluded on 30thJune, 2005. The objective of the Program was to bring out socioeconomic development and empowerment of women through promotion of women SHGs, micro credit and income generating activities. The project was conceived as a Pilot Project implemented in 335 blocks of 57 districts in 9 states. The Project established 17,647 SHGs covering about 2,44,000 women. This was a Centrally Sponsored Project.
Swayamsiddha:
This is an integrated scheme for women empowerment through formation of Self Help Groups (SHGs) launched in February, 2001. The long term objective of the programme is holistic empowerment of women through a sustained process of mobilization and convergence of all the on going sectoral programmes by improving access of women to micro-credit, economic resources, etc. This is a Centrally Sponsored Scheme. The Scheme has been able to provide a forum for women empowerment, collective reflection and united action. The programme is implemented in 650 blocks of the country. 67971 women SHGs have been formed benefiting 9,89,485 beneficiaries.
The schemes of Swayamsidha and Swashakti are merged and implemented as Swayamsidha, Phase-II in the XI Plan. It is a country wide programme with larger coverage in States lagging behind on women development indices. Convergence is the basic concept in Swayamsiddha. The Swayamsiddha gives an integrated set of training inputs relating to social and economic empowerment, including skill development and training in traditional and non traditional sectors.
The main objective of the programme is to create confidence and awareness among members of SHGs regarding women’s status, health, nutrition, education, sanitation & hygiene, legal rights economic upliftment and other social economic and political issues.
Form strong self help grops (SHGs) of women living in poverty, inform, train and equip them so that they can access and control over resources and improve thier own lives and that of their families and communities.
Major Output
Capacity Building
- Mutual support enabling women to manage their own affairs.
- Increased self-reliance and self-confidence to address constraints faced by women;
- Framework for cost-effective delievery of financial and technical services;
- Increased ability of women to mobilize public and private sector services for their benefit; and
- Improvement in the social status of women in the family and community.
- Improved orientation and attitude of support agencies, enabling them to be more aware of women's priorities and more proactive and effective in addressing women's specific needs; and
- Improvement in level of services by women from from banks and line deparments.
- Mobilization of investments funds
- Inculcation of savings habit and developments of credit management skills:
- Building a pool of creditworthy clients:
- Increased long term access of women to credit through integration into mainstream delivery mechanisms for credit: an
- Reduction in risks and transition costs of vbank as result of high repayment rates of women's groups leading to greater willingness of the part of banks to lend to poor women.