Interview of a Self Help Group

Self –Help Groups(SHG)- we are all very familiar with these independent bodies that are proving their Empowerment with an indentity in themselves without the interference of any Government Bodies or any land lords that have been ruling over the poor families in the Rural sectors and charging high interests. Even if today, we have Panchayat Raj to solve these issues for the common man in the villages, but the strong caste system and the corruption that still prevails creates a huge crevice between what should be done and what is done! I happened to meet the SHG in a village near Bhubaneswar named Sushree Mahila Samiti and it was interesting to know the fact that these SHEs prefer to have only women as the villages have strong gender issues. They are a body of 15 members and they were trained about the basics of Mathematics, accounts and how to maintain the balance, about bank loans and the issues like Women empowerment and their importance was addressed to this small group whose motto was to make these women self sufficient and even if they belong to the below poverty line group whose voice is never paid heed to, but they prove themselves thus attaining their dignity and standing for each other than haggling in front of others while the rich make them more helpless.Sushree Mahila Samiti has helped to enhance the confidence and capabilities of women and to encourage habit of saving among women and facilitate the accumulation of their own capital resource base
This SHG has had tie ups with banks and the savings from all the individuals are put in a common Savings account in the name of the SHE. The bank provided them with loans at very low rate of interest and Sushree Mahila Samiti has been actively functioning after the cyclone affected their homes as they lost their family members and even their lands. They take up the loan to produce Handicraft products that are displayed at the Exhibitions organized by the District Industries Centre every month in various states all over the country displaying the artifacts that are gaining popularity in the other states as they have incredible artistic hands on palm leaves, making the typical handfans, the chandua work and various home décor products involving crafts of bamboo sticks, baskets etc. These 15 women also get orders from various private sectors that aids in their business. They also employ many other such women who seek for some occupation and are helpless. They have a leader taking care of all the decisions and commitments and the salary is equally distributed depending on the Business and profits. This has enabled the women to earn a fair deal, most significantly, they are self sufficient and they are reaching the people of all standards. The exhibitions are excellently encouraging and they get a platform to present their production and such common events become a place for interaction between many such Groups and they unite since they share the same conditions and circumstances that made them a part of such SHGs. There also is progress amongst such groups as the spirit of Competition elevates that is ultimately very important for any Business to grow. There are regular meetings held and an auditing done to keep a record of their Business, and they keep a track of their progress annually and so is a record of all their savings and the loans, with a Discussion forum every month that makes them work together as a team effectively and it is a strong leader and faithful team mates that really can strike a difference and enable the motive of a SHGs to get successful.
These women have been an encouragement for many such other SHGs and this Mahila Samiti believes in ‘Saving’s first, Credit later’ that enable an effective functioning and it is their leader Mrs. Roopa Swain who has a very broad vision in employing all these financially unstable women and making a difference in many other’s lives and the spirit of Entrepreneurship remains in its innocent form while these women also add on to the Economy as the number of unemployed women reduces as more and more women are involved in such Self Help Groups.