Cheranalloor, a small and undeveloped village in Koovappady Grama Panchayat belongs to Koovappady Block Panchayat in Ernakulam District of Kerala State.
Women in this area are weaving ‘Panambu’, a Malayalam term meaning Bamboo mat for their livelihood. They have no other means to support their family heads. The people belonging to this field had no co-operation and inter-dependence. There were no awareness programmes which could give ideas of co-operation and organization. In this situation, with the help of the Block Panchayat, we understood and became aware of how we can organize women who have no jobs and to form the Self Help Groups.
Even though the poor families of Cheranalloor village were willing to do hard work for their livelihood, they had neither money to invest nor any supporting situations to fulfill their dreams.
The people in this area depend on the Koovappady branch of Union Bank of India and Cheranalloor Service Co-operative Bank for taking loan. But, we, the poor people of the area, do not get loans or any assistance from these financial institutions due to our poor capacity of repayment. Our family heads had some farming and that was the only income of our families. We were below the average standard of living and could not provide good education to our children. Our families were Below Poverty Line. We were of no pucca houses and sanitary latrines of our own and there were no pucca roads for easy transportation. There were neither marketing facilities nor trading institutions in the area.
Meanwhile our Group leader happened to know about the SGSY scheme and Self Help Groups. Then she contacted with our Village Extension Officer to know more about it. On the basis of the instructions of the Officer, she tried to organize women of poor families not less than 10 and not more than 20 in nearby houses with the help of the VEO. As a result, we, certain women members of nearby houses were joined together in the presence of our Grama Panchayat Ward member. In that meeting, our VEO, Sri. K.T.Baby explained the structure, implementation and advantages of women Self Help Groups. Then, we, the following 12 members came forward with the idea of forming a Group.
We named it as SNEHA SHG, Cheranalloor.
We formed the Sangham and prepared several registers in the name of the Sangham.We opened a joint account in the names of Secretary and President in the Cheranalloor Service Co – operative Bank. We formed thrift to increase the deposit and the capital. Each member deposited a specific amount in the Bank. There were weekly meetings in the members’ houses to discuss and review the activities of the Group. Arrangements were made to avail loans to the members in a low interest rate from the thrift account.
On completion of six months activities, first grading was conducted on 17.04.2002. We became victorious in the grading and a Revolving Fund of Rs. 25,000/- (Rupees Twenty-five thousands only) has been sanctioned to us. This amount consists of Rs. 15,000/- (Rupees Fifteen thousand only) as cash credit of Bank and Rs. 10,000/- (Rupees Ten thousand only) as subsidy from the Block. With this money, Sangham began farming of paddy and vegetables and Soap manufacturing. We used to repay the cash credit in time and avail again as per needs.
The women of the Sangham had a taste in farming. To improve our financial condition, we began to farm paddy in lease land system. Meantime, the Group attained a social status. The members of Grama Panchayat told us to make people joined in the Grama Sabhas. We did it well. The Grama Panchayat authorities entrusted the Group with collecting applications in the Grama Sabhas and directed to help the authorities in the selection of eligible applicants.
Our Group participated in the seminars conducted at Grama and Block level and involved in the sanitation campaigns conducted by Local Bodies etc. As a social work, our Sangham gave cash awards to students of our area who secured high marks in the SSLC examination.
From the inception of the Sangham itself, we used to celebrate Independence Day by organizing cultural competition programmes.
Our Sangham is working in good spirit to improve our activities and wish to begin new employment areas. We discussed and decided to start cattle farming and bamboo mat weavivg. The Group underwent second grading and passed it. Then, the Group has been sanctioned a loan for Rs. 1,60,000/- (Rupees One lakh and sixty thousand only) by the Bank ofwhich Rs. 80,000/- was the subsidy from the Block. The loan was repaid fully in
time. Bank authorities had an impression about the activities of the Group and they had sanctioned a second loan of Rs. 80,000/- for farming and business activities. Under the scheme, we got Rs. 40,000/- being subsidy from the Block. Thus, we got Rs. 1,20,000/- being subsidy from the Government. We began making food items and farming of bush jasmine. Our venture generated money and we repaid the loan amount fully to the Bank.
Our Sangham was formed on 13.08.2001. The members of the Group availed a loan of Rs. 1,84,600/- individually. We are repaying it on a regular basis. We are also repaying the cash credit which we got from the Bank.
Now, our Group members enjoy a good position in the society. If we are in need of some money, we will get loans from Banks without much difficulty. Every year Group conducts annual meetings and cultural programmes of the members. Now, our group completed 5 years service.
Now, our group has a corpus fund of Rs. 71,315/- from which we give short term loans to our members.
Before the formation of the Group, we felt very difficulty to manage the money problems faced on the beginning of the academic year. At that time, we used to borrow money from money lenders on a high rate of interest. At present, the situation has already been changed. Our group provides Rs. 10,000/- each to every members to manage emergency situations. On our insistence in the grama sabhas, roads were made pucca ones and street lights were installed.
Now, the members of our Group are earning Rs. 2600/- per month from the employment and we are proud of improving our status in the society and our standard of living.
Women in this area are weaving ‘Panambu’, a Malayalam term meaning Bamboo mat for their livelihood. They have no other means to support their family heads. The people belonging to this field had no co-operation and inter-dependence. There were no awareness programmes which could give ideas of co-operation and organization. In this situation, with the help of the Block Panchayat, we understood and became aware of how we can organize women who have no jobs and to form the Self Help Groups.
Even though the poor families of Cheranalloor village were willing to do hard work for their livelihood, they had neither money to invest nor any supporting situations to fulfill their dreams.
The people in this area depend on the Koovappady branch of Union Bank of India and Cheranalloor Service Co-operative Bank for taking loan. But, we, the poor people of the area, do not get loans or any assistance from these financial institutions due to our poor capacity of repayment. Our family heads had some farming and that was the only income of our families. We were below the average standard of living and could not provide good education to our children. Our families were Below Poverty Line. We were of no pucca houses and sanitary latrines of our own and there were no pucca roads for easy transportation. There were neither marketing facilities nor trading institutions in the area.
Meanwhile our Group leader happened to know about the SGSY scheme and Self Help Groups. Then she contacted with our Village Extension Officer to know more about it. On the basis of the instructions of the Officer, she tried to organize women of poor families not less than 10 and not more than 20 in nearby houses with the help of the VEO. As a result, we, certain women members of nearby houses were joined together in the presence of our Grama Panchayat Ward member. In that meeting, our VEO, Sri. K.T.Baby explained the structure, implementation and advantages of women Self Help Groups. Then, we, the following 12 members came forward with the idea of forming a Group.
We named it as SNEHA SHG, Cheranalloor.
We formed the Sangham and prepared several registers in the name of the Sangham.We opened a joint account in the names of Secretary and President in the Cheranalloor Service Co – operative Bank. We formed thrift to increase the deposit and the capital. Each member deposited a specific amount in the Bank. There were weekly meetings in the members’ houses to discuss and review the activities of the Group. Arrangements were made to avail loans to the members in a low interest rate from the thrift account.
On completion of six months activities, first grading was conducted on 17.04.2002. We became victorious in the grading and a Revolving Fund of Rs. 25,000/- (Rupees Twenty-five thousands only) has been sanctioned to us. This amount consists of Rs. 15,000/- (Rupees Fifteen thousand only) as cash credit of Bank and Rs. 10,000/- (Rupees Ten thousand only) as subsidy from the Block. With this money, Sangham began farming of paddy and vegetables and Soap manufacturing. We used to repay the cash credit in time and avail again as per needs.
The women of the Sangham had a taste in farming. To improve our financial condition, we began to farm paddy in lease land system. Meantime, the Group attained a social status. The members of Grama Panchayat told us to make people joined in the Grama Sabhas. We did it well. The Grama Panchayat authorities entrusted the Group with collecting applications in the Grama Sabhas and directed to help the authorities in the selection of eligible applicants.
Our Group participated in the seminars conducted at Grama and Block level and involved in the sanitation campaigns conducted by Local Bodies etc. As a social work, our Sangham gave cash awards to students of our area who secured high marks in the SSLC examination.
From the inception of the Sangham itself, we used to celebrate Independence Day by organizing cultural competition programmes.
Our Sangham is working in good spirit to improve our activities and wish to begin new employment areas. We discussed and decided to start cattle farming and bamboo mat weavivg. The Group underwent second grading and passed it. Then, the Group has been sanctioned a loan for Rs. 1,60,000/- (Rupees One lakh and sixty thousand only) by the Bank ofwhich Rs. 80,000/- was the subsidy from the Block. The loan was repaid fully in
time. Bank authorities had an impression about the activities of the Group and they had sanctioned a second loan of Rs. 80,000/- for farming and business activities. Under the scheme, we got Rs. 40,000/- being subsidy from the Block. Thus, we got Rs. 1,20,000/- being subsidy from the Government. We began making food items and farming of bush jasmine. Our venture generated money and we repaid the loan amount fully to the Bank.
Our Sangham was formed on 13.08.2001. The members of the Group availed a loan of Rs. 1,84,600/- individually. We are repaying it on a regular basis. We are also repaying the cash credit which we got from the Bank.
Now, our Group members enjoy a good position in the society. If we are in need of some money, we will get loans from Banks without much difficulty. Every year Group conducts annual meetings and cultural programmes of the members. Now, our group completed 5 years service.
Now, our group has a corpus fund of Rs. 71,315/- from which we give short term loans to our members.
Before the formation of the Group, we felt very difficulty to manage the money problems faced on the beginning of the academic year. At that time, we used to borrow money from money lenders on a high rate of interest. At present, the situation has already been changed. Our group provides Rs. 10,000/- each to every members to manage emergency situations. On our insistence in the grama sabhas, roads were made pucca ones and street lights were installed.
Now, the members of our Group are earning Rs. 2600/- per month from the employment and we are proud of improving our status in the society and our standard of living.
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