INCOME GENERATING ACTIVITIES

One of the salient feature of SRI project is the ample freedom and flexibility to the beneficiaries to choose the income generating activity they prefer according to the local socio-economic and marketing conditions. In short, we will not Micro-manage, but monitor them.

Most of the beneficiaries utilised the micro-credit for rearing cow. Therefore, it is mandatory to insure the cows for mutual interest. Besides providing the necessary veterinary assistance and guidance, supplementary loans are advanced for the insurance premium where necessary.

Free tution service to poor & needy children

In keeping with our stated goals of overall socio-economic development agenda for the poor, SRI is imparting free tuition service to needy and deserving students by voluntary SRI staff. We do believe that the real empowerment and social emancipation can take place only through education. We want to expand this tution service slowly, but surely, as response from the student community is tremendous. Gradually, we want to embark upon other significant socio-economic issues, such as access to drinking water, hygiene and sanitation, health services etc.

Beneficiaries

SRI has found women at all centers to be honest, with basic entrepreneur skills, hard working, wanting to improve their living standard. Most of them engage in seasonal and casual labour to sustain their family. With proper orientation and education, SRI has found that even less educated women can comprehend the basic concepts and principles of the Grameen micro-credit system. After initial speculation and rumor mongering, people are comprehending the concept and objectives of Grameen Bank System and micro-credit initiatives. More and more poor rural women approach us to become beneficiaries, but could not be served due to lack of funds.

Repayment

The project was commissioned during the lean months of the year. Ironically, during this period the repayments were prompt. But later, when the harvest came, there was a tendency among some beneficiaries to default in repayment because their wages during this period was paid in paddy, and they were reluctant to part with it. Another reason was the crowded festival season where beneficiaries have social and moral obligations to honour which results in extra expense. However, with timely orientation and motivation, we were able to emphasize the significance of prompt repayment and averted any major problems. The repayment record is almost 100%.

Expansion Scheme

We are also contemplating to join with other NGO'S (Non-Government Organisation) with identical objectives. Centers are established and micro-credit delivery extended to beneficiaries in the Co-operative milk societies under MILMA (The Anand Dairy pattern of Milk Societies). We are also collaborating with ANEW (Association for Non-traditional Employment for Women), Madras, to establish a center where training can be imparted to those who want to embark upon micro-credit delivery system. This could provide a window of opportunity for us to incorporate other positive elements in our socio-economic development agenda to achieve our goals of economic independence and social emancipation of the poorest rural women.

Limited internship is available in the field of poverty alleviation, micro-credit, women's issues/empowerment, rural development and related areas. Local accommadation and food can be arranged with advance notice.

We do have half-an-hour video documentary about our project, titled, EMPOWERMENT, telecasted by Doordarshan (Indian broadcaster) which can be presented to any interested audience. It will be a pleasure for SRI to supplement the video documentary with oral presentation.

Our present goals are slow and steady expansion of our clientele base to achieve financial viability and sustainability. We have shown that with a team of dedicated, committed and trained staff, and above all, with sincere desire to serve the poor, the Grameen Bank models can be successfully replicated. What Grameen Bank has proved in 20 years, we have also proved in less than 3 years.

But our study, research and experience also indicate, in a male dominant society, as we are, we must adopt a comprehensive socio-economic development agenda in which micro-credit should be leveraged only as a significant and powerful component. Only genuine NGO'S (Non Government Organisations) can produce any tangible and meaningful result in our poverty alleviation efforts.

Trust and dignity begets trust and dignity. If we make a small step towards the poor, they will come a hundreds steps towards us. Together, slowly and steadily, tangible improvements in their lives can be made, and alleviation of poverty can be achieved.

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