Program Interventions

Aims and Objective:

Women´s development has been a special area of focus in the programs of MITTRA. Efforts are taken to bring women together, organize them in self-help groups (SHG) and seek empowerment of women through trainings, study tours and regular facilitation through meetings.

Approach:

SHG is at the centre of women´s development. Efforts are being made to resolve women´s problems through SHGs. Empowerment of SHGs leads to improvement in areas of health, credit supply, increased income, and drudgery reduction.

Activities:

• Activities Prior to SHG Formation: Before a group is formed, a survey of economic conditions of village families, their management, natural resources of the village, and problems faced by women, is conducted with help of the women.
• SHG Formation: Importance of SHG is explained to villagers through meetings and home visits. SHGs of 10 to 12 women each are formed. A president and a secretary are selected for each SHG. Guidance is provided for preparing rules and norms regarding functioning of the SHG and record keeping.
• Consistency: For development of collective decision making, regular monthly meetings, issuing internal loans, observance of rules are all necessary and MITTRA helps and ensures this. Members are trained to make decisions and implement them. Income generating activity programs are also conducted. As a result of all this, the SHG takes roots and some, who become strong, even take up important issues like prohibition of alcohol in village, cleanliness, safe drinking water, etc.

Status as on March 2012