Women's Self-Help Groups
Since the inception of our microcredit program, 340 mothers have received loans, invested various enterprises, and earned income! Some of our self-help women’s groups used loans for gardening; others preferred to buy a cow or goat; others made yoga mat bags and cleaning detergents.
Our women’s groups (sangam) are working well. Among them are: Merina (19 mothers), Kurinchi (12 mothers), Roja (14 mothers), Jasmine (13 mothers), Venpura (10 mothers), Sakthi (10 mothers), Annai Teresa (17 mothers) and Lotus (12 mothers). Several groups have completed repayment of their loans and Merina, Kurinchi, Roja, Jasmine and Venpura have received second loans. Sakthi, Annai Teresa and Lotus are awaiting second loans. There have been regular loan repayments from all these groups. The mothers have become conscious of their repayment responsibilities. This is a positive development for which FORGOTTEN CHILDREN takes great pride. Besides these groups, there are many more that await microcredit. We hope to help them with loans in the future.
(c) Francoise Remington, 2008
"Our women are developing day by day. Their production unit is developing, and it is generating income for them. They have gained much knowledge about detergents and also confidence to approach people for sales. They reimburse their loan regularly. One of the members is contesting for council election. One of the drawbacks is that they have no place for their production unit. At present they are producing in their own homes, which consists of one or two rooms. So it is very difficult for them. They have grown to be responsible to educate their children. They have built rapport with other women in the group, in order to help themselves in a cooperative way…. They have learned to work together, to be responsible for the money they take as loans and to find ways and means of using the help in a way that is beneficial to them and others. The groups reimburse the interest-free loans regularly. The leaders of each group are trained to monitor the receiving and repaying of the loans. This system helps more needy families. We are able to reach out to many more women in our area in the interior villages of Kodaikanal. Most of the women stopped borrowing from the money lenders with high interest. This way the burden of our people is less now. In times of need, the people know that there is someone who is ready to help them. The number of dropouts has come down very much."