By pooling their savings on a regular basis every month self-help groups (SHGs) in many parts of India have improved their economic and social security. However such efforts, particularly of rural women, have been able to achieve more when they have combined this with wider initiatives for social reform. In Bali block of Pali district (Rajasthan) this combination of economic and social initiatives has given very encouraging results, as became evident in recent conversations with several members of these groups. Most of these women are from garasia tribal or adivasi community.
Various small SHGs here merged to create a village or panchayat level wider group, also called sankul group, while many sankul groups merge to form a federation, named Ghoomar Mahila Samiti. This federation has about 5,000 members in 32 villages in Pali and Udaipur districts.
At another level there are several women producer groups involved in collection and processing of minor forest produce and these also have got together to form a producer company Ghoomar Mahila Producer Company. In Gordhanpur village members of several SHG members belonging to Warliya Mahadev sankul group were holding their monthly meeting. Sanibai said—earlier we had to borrow at a high interest from private moneylenders where we also had to pledge our ornaments and sometimes even land. Now due to savings our groups make this dependence on private moneylenders has been replaced by a confidence that we can get a loan on much easier terms whenever we have such a need.
Others explained that initially the rich moneylenders had opposed such attempts of group formation, but when they were told that all their land grab and exploitative practices will be exposed, they stopped opposing the groups.
Now members of groups not only avoid pledging their land or ornaments and pay a much lower interest, in addition whatever interest they pay remains within their group, in a sense adding to their own economic strength and savings. The corpus fund of this particular group of Warlia has gradually grown to Rs. 1.2 million. In addition the group has linkages with banks so that its capacity to arrange low interest loans for its members is even higher.
To questions regarding the utilization of loans the women gathered here responded enthusiastically that these have helped them to improve farming and irrigation, purchase dairy animals and start small shops and enterprises (for example small-scale flour mill). No less important for them is the fact that they could arrange for the medical treatment of family members, or meet wedding expenses, without getting caught in high-interest debt.
Another important contribution that these easy loans could make was to provide the means for better and higher education. The group meetings are venues not just for discussing savings and loans but also for taking forward various social concerns. One important concern has been to reduce child marriage and domestic violence. Another and related concern has been to promote education with special emphasis on the education of girls and women.
Kamli Bai, an assertive member of this group, says with well-deserved pride that she is not only sending her daughter to college, in addition she is also sending her two daughters-in-law Rashmi and Reena to college. A few years back it would have been much less likely to hear about daughter-in-law being sent for college education, and this change is a part of the wider social changes here in which these women groups have played an important role. While earlier it was difficult for women to go for social meetings, now they go unhindered to group meetings or other meetings, and some of them were even called for pre-budget consultation by government authorities.
In another such group in Thandi Beri village, members of Bharat Mata Sankul group told about similar progress in their area. Kheemi said that earlier the economic condition of her family was quite precarious. However she worked hard to finish her BA, and then she took up some work and also helped by a loan from the group, she was able to arrange for the education of her husband so that he could finally become a teacher in a school. This has helped the family to significantly improve its economic condition.
In this group several members are now getting more work in non-timber forest produce related work and this has also improved their economic status.
Women of these groups have also worked to check the increase in alcoholism in their communities.
Women of these groups are now participating more actively in gram panchayat and gram sabha activities and meetings. Now they have a wider inter-action with various institutions including banks and are learning to be more assertive so that they can handle the work here. Recently their work was neglected by some bank officials who felt that they brought less business but crowded the bank. When officials were rude to them the women acted with unity and said they will lot enter the bank till the officials come to them politely. The officials made haste to correct their mistake and after this were polite to them. Several such small incidents indicate the growing assertiveness and capability of these women from adivasi/tribal communities in accepting and carrying out new responsibilities.
The initial mobilization and capacity building work for this entire effort was carried out by a voluntary organization called SRIJAN. After significant progress had been achieved, SRIJAN followed its well-thought out exit policy so that the community organization could be on its own. As Deepak Saini, project leader of SRIJAN, says—we felt that a time had come for the community organization to be on its own as it had gained adequate strength and experience, but of course SRIJAN continues to be deeply engaged with its progress and we are always there whenever any technical or other support is needed.
Saddam Husain Chisti, the CEO of Ghoomar Mahila Samiti, is full of ideas and drive for further progress of the federation and its members, aiming also to increase membership significantly and improve the social and economic footprint in numerous ways. He is also well-informed of the initiatives of the producer company that supports many economic and livelihood activities and is keen that there should be growing convergence of these sister organizations. He is also appreciative of support from helpful government officials programs.
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The writer is Honorary Convener, Campaign to Save Earth Now. His recent books include Protecting Earth for Children, Planet in Peril, Man over Machine, and A Day in 2071
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