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National Community Driven Development Conference,

7 – 8 December 2015

Islamabad

PSAMPATHKUMAR

PSMOHANAN

WOMENEMPOWERMENTANDPOVERTYREDUCTIONPROGRAMMEASPECIALINITIATIVEOF

RAJIVGANDHICHARITABLETRUST

RGCTCampus:619,RanaNagar,KanpurRoad,RaebareliUttarPradesh-229001

T+91-535-2211304,F+91-0535-2211300www.rgmvp.org

KEYLEARNINGSANDINSIGHTSFROMRAJIVGANDHIMAHILAVIKASPARIYOJANA

WITHSPECIALFOCUSONTHECONTRIBUTIONFROM‘THEMANNAMEDKHAN’

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KeyInsightsandLearningsfromRajivGandhiMahilaVikasPariyojanaWithspecialfocusonthecontributionfromthe

“ManNamedKhan”1-Introduction

ThewomenoftheNorthIndianstateofUttarPradesh,themostpopulousinthecountry,areaveritable example of dignity, courage, care, compassion, resilience and reverence for life.Thoughthestateisveryrichinnaturalandhumanresources,itiseconomicallybackwardwithabout20%ofIndia’spoorlivinginit.Despitethegreaterstrengthofthewomen,theirstatusismuch below that of men in the state. There is a persistent gender discrimination againstwomen inmany respectsmainlybecauseof somedeep-rootedbelief systems in the society.The girl child has to face lot of discrimination in education and upbringing. The literacy rateamongwomenislowandthewomanisverymuchavictimofdeprivationandneglect.Inshort,there are fundamental social and economic barriers that surroundwomen inUttar Pradesh.Their voices remain unheard due to gender and feudal patriarchal structures that dominatenegotiatingpowerrelations.Nobodyinthedevelopmentsectorhadmadeany sincere effort to address thesebarriersfacedbythewomen.It is inthis context, Rajiv Gandhi MahilaVikas Pariyojana (RGMVP) wasstartedintheStateintheyear2002as a special initiative by the RajivGandhi Charitable Trust focusing onempowerment of the women in aunique way by unleashing theirindividualandcollectivepotential tousewomenthemselvesasagentsoftransformation. It started in a fewunderdevelopedblocksinRaebareli,SultanpurandAmethidistrictsandgrewexponentiallytocover 275 blocks across 42 districts connecting to 1.5 million women in the last 13 years,helpingthemtobreakthefundamentalbarriers, raisetheirhopesandconfidenceandaccessinstitutionalfinance,livelihoods,healthandtheirrightsandentitlementsinanon-hierarchicalway.Thesuccessfulsagaofwomenundertheprogrammehasbynowledtotheevolutionofaunique theory of transformation and path to creation of prosperity in the villages, all bydisruptingthehierarchy.Thestoryofthissuccessfulmovementowesmuchtothelegacyofthe“ManNamedKhan”.

1 TheHindudatedOctober16,2013-ReportbyMeenaMenononShoaibSultanKhan

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RGMVPcreatesalargescaleSHGMovementinNorthIndia

ByitssheersizeofcoverageofpoorandtheownershipandparticipationofwomenthroughtheSHGnetwork,ithasbecomethelargestSelfHelpmovementledbywomeninNorthIndia,workingfortheirholisticdevelopment.ItisworkingonthemodifiedandexpandedmodelofSHGsinwhichtheSHGsandtheirfederationsbecomepowerfulsocialplatformswithfocusonlivelihoods,health,rightsandentitlementsandlocalgovernance.

RGMVPlearnsthealphabetsofcommunitymobilizationfromShoaibSultanKhanSahab

It is Shoaib Sultan Khan Sahab from whom RGMVP learned the alphabets of communitymobilization,communityparticipationandself-help.HevisitedRGMVPforthefirsttimeinJuly2008. Itwasduring thisvisitRGMVP learned thealphabets fromtheMaster.His secondvisitwas inMarch2011 followedbyhis thirdvisit inApril2012.Hevisited theprojectathisown

expenses out of sheer passion to seehowthepoorwomeninthevillagesofUttarPradesh in India respond to theidea of self-help and to guide theRGMVP team with his rich andinsightful experience. The learningsfrom this legendary figure fromPakistan helped RGMVP to a greatextent in taking the womenempowerment programme to thecurrent level of a transformationalmovement, validating each andeveryinsightgivenbyhim.

InspiringInsightsfromthevisitsofShoaibSultanKhanwhichRGMVPcouldvalidate(Inhisownwords)

FirstVisit

1. Iexplainedthat thesuccessofthis approach is dependent on i)peoples willingness to get organisedto enable them to unleash theirpotential; ii) presence of an honestand committed leader within thegroup willing to acquire through

It was a stint as UNICEF’s social developmentconsultant in Sri Lanka in the Mahaweli Gangaproject that got him a full page mention inNewsweek in an article “A Man Named Khan”.Thatwasover32yearsago.ShoaibSultanKhanisone of the pioneers of rural developmentprogrammes in Pakistan. Today, the RuralSupport Programmes have helped form 297,000communityorganisationsin110districtsincludingtwo Federally Administered Tribal Areas ofPakistan. As a CSP Officer, he worked with theGovernmentofPakistan for25years, lateronheservedGeneva-basedAgaKhanFoundationfor12yearsandUNICEFandUNDPfor14years.Sincehisretirement, he has been involved with the RuralSupportProgrammes (RSPs)ofPakistan full-time,on voluntary basis. He has received the UnitedNations Environment Programme Global 500Award in 1989, the Sitara-i-Imtiaz in 1990, theRamon Magsaysay Award in 1992, the WWFConservation Medal in 1994, "Man of the Year"Rotary International (Pakistan) Gold Medal in2005, Sitara-e-Eisaar and Hilal-i-Imtiaz by thePresident of Pakistan in 2006. In 2009 he waselected as Senior Ashoka Fellow. He has writtennumerousresearchpapersandbooks.In2009,hewas nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for"Unleashingthepowerandpotentialofthepoor"

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humanresourcedevelopmenttraininghumanskillstoleadthegroupandiii)presenceofasensitivesupportorganisationofdedicatedandcommittedstafftobethecatalystinorganizing thepoor in SHGsand facilitating removalofobstacles in thewayof theSHGstoachievethefullpotentialofwhattheyarewillingandcapableofdoing.

2. ItisonlyRGMVP,whichfocusesonunleashingthepotentialofthepeoplebyorganizingthem. Secondly RGMVP has no pre-conceived package of interventions to reducepoverty.ItisSHGs,whichidentifytheinterventions,whichcouldfacilitateunleashingoftheir potential. And thirdly RGMVP, by organizing SHGs reaches the household level,mostofthegovernmentprogrammesandprojectsonlyreachthevillageorgramlevel.Poverty prevails at household and family level and unless a programme helps andfacilitates the family to rise above the level of subsistence, poverty from the villagewouldnotgoaway.

3. RGMVP’svisionshouldbefocusedonharnessingpeoplesespeciallypoor’spotentialtocome out of poverty. If RGMVP deviates from this vision, it would not achieve itsultimategoalofeliminationofpoverty.RGMVPhastohaveaveryfocusedvisionandaclearmissionlikethePersianproverb“catchholdofoneandholditfirmlyinsteadtryingtocatchmanyandsucceedincatchingnone”.

SecondVisit

4. TheamazingphenomenonwasthecommunalharmonyinthevillagewhenoneoftheSHGmemberslostherabodeandhadnoshelter.NurjahantookherHindumemberoftheSHGtoherhouseandforonemonthshestayedwithhertillherhousewasrebuilt.

5. TheGS/SHG’saregivinggreatimportancetoeducationandtheSHGhasnohesitationingivingeducationloansto itsmemberswhenrequiredandmanyoftheirchildrenwerenowpursuingMBA/Masters/Graduationstudies.

6. TheBanksare refusing toextendCashCredit Limit (CCL) to them till they repay theiroutstanding loans whichmeans RGMVP cannotmotivate them to join SHGs because

there is nothing forthemiftheyjoin.Thereason for default isattributed torampant corruptionin implementingSGSY.Ateverystage,palms had to begreased both in

governmentdepartments (DRDAand Block) and inBanks, with theresult that despitethesubsidy,theBPLsnever got enough

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money to buy the buffaloes which was supposed to give them an income streamenablingthemtorepaythemonthlyinstallment.ThisisasadsituationandRGMVPwillhavetodosomethingtobringtheseunfortunateBPLsintheorganizedfold.

7. The emphasis on Community Resource Persons (CRPs) and exploiting their truepotentialhasbeenthemostsignificantachievementoftheRGMVP.Ithaspromotedamodelwhichis lowcost, it iscapableofreachingthepoorestofthepoor, itconceivesconvergence and synergy and promotes holistic development and brings socialharmony, as was fully evident in my visits to the villages and interaction with thewomen.

8. IwasnotsurprisedwhatRGMVPhasachievedbut Iwasamazedhowquickly thishasbeen done. I had never witnessed such social transformation in such a short periodanywhere.

9. Itoldtheteamthechallengeofinclusionof(BelowPovertyLinepeople)BPLsbyRGMVPand the importance of making support organisations and institutions of the peoplefinanciallyviable.Intheorganic,pragmatic,sociologicalmodeofthesocialmobilizationapproachtheroleofsupportorganisationskeepsonchangingbutthesewillalwaysbeneededtosupportandfacilitatetheinstitutionsofthepeopleforverticaldevelopment.WhenIwasaskedwhenwouldIcomeagain.IrespondedIwouldverymuchliketo.

ThirdVisit

10. In1982whenIhadinitiatedtheAgaKhanRuralSupportProgramme(AKRSP)basedondevelopmentprinciplesenunciatedbyRaiffeisen in19thcenturyEuropeand learntbymeunderthetutelageofAkhterHameedKhan(AHK),itwasnotinmywildestdreamsthattheefficacyanduniversalityandapplicabilityoftheseprincipleswouldbeprovenfromGilgit-BaltistantoGwadar,fromPeshawartoTharparkar,fromAndhraPradeshtoUttar Pradesh. In a nutshell, Raiffeisen had advocated ORGANISATION, CAPITALGENERATIONandHUMANSKILLSDEVELOPMENT.

11. AppliedbyAKRSPinGilgit-BaltistanChitral,overaperiodofadecade,theincomeofthemillionpeople,livinginoneoftheharshestandmostinhospitableterrainsoftheworld,doubled in real terms,accordingtoaWorldBankassessment.TheRSP (RuralSupportProgramme)approachcurrentlyextendsto4.5millionhouseholdscomprising30millionpeopleinPakistan.ThesameprinciplesappliedinAndhraPradeshtransformedthelivesoffiftymillionpeopleoveraperiodoffifteenyears,enablingthetenmillionorganizedhouseholds to access 100billion IndianRupees fromcommercial banks in 2011-2012.ThesearethepoorestofthepoorhouseholdsandsomeofthesewomenwhomImetin1996usedtoearnRs.5adayweedingthefieldsoftherichfarmers.

12. In2007,RGMVPappliedtheseprinciplesinUttarPradeshbeginningwithafewBlocks.IhavehadtheprivilegeandpleasureofparticipatinginRGMVP’sVisioningWorkshopin2008. Since then thiswasmy third visit toRGMVP, on the kind invitationof theCEORGMVPMr.SampathKumar.

13. Like a spectator who sees more of the game than the players, I am amazed at theprogressmadebyRGMVPsincemyfirstvisit.ThemainfeaturesofRGMVPadoptionofRaiffeisenprinciplesisthatithasimplementedtheseprinciplesinletterandspirit,with

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theresultthatRGMVPhasdevelopedalowcostactivists(CRPs)centredapproachwhichisbothsustainableandconducivetotaking it toscale. Ithasalsoensured inclusionofthe poorest of the poor (PoP) from the beginning. RGMVP’s greatest contribution ispersuading thebanks tomakeCashCredit Limit (CCL) accessible toorganizedgroups.Thisisofcourse,dependentontheGroupsfulfillingallobligationsandcominguptothecriteria,laiddownbytheBanks,forCCLentitlement.ThishasresultedininstillingGroupdiscipline, especially of savings, proper record keeping and trustworthymanagement.Thishadledtofosteringof institutionsofthepeoplebuiltonverystrongfoundations,namely,Groups(Samooh),GramSangathanandBlockSangathan.TheseinstitutionsofthepeoplearegraduallygettingempoweredtodemandtheirentitlementsbeitNREGA,Below Poverty Line (BPL), ration cards, health entitlements etc. However, theempowermentprocessisalongoneandifthesepeople’sinstitutionsarelefttofendforthemselves before these take roots and become financially viable, these might beoverwhelmedbyreactionaryelementsinthesociety.

14. The RGMVP’s Community Resource development Centre (CRDC) remindedme of thepioneeringworkAHKdidinsixtiesbysettingupThanaTrainingandDevelopmentCentre(TTDC)in110Thanas(policestationjurisdiction)ofwhatisnowBangladesh.TheTTDCare a viable unit of development administration and are surviving to this day. Tomymind, CRDC have the same rationale and hopefully would eventually develop into aviableunitfordevelopmentadministrationofthedistricts.

15. The one thing I heard everywhere was the amazing impact of exposure visits of theactivists to Andhra Pradesh. This was nothing new to me as I have seen what anexposurevisitcandoinexplainingtheprocessofunleashingthepotentialofthepeoplethrough socialmobilization, even to themost learnedandmost experienced, nothingelsecando it.RGMVPhas indeednowapoolof itsowncommunityresourcepersons(CRPs)whoseemedtobesecondtonone.IwastoldcomparingRGMVPwithSocietyForEliminationofRuralPoverty(SERP),AndhraPradeshthatthereismuchfasterprogressinRGMVPandmore importantlypoorwomen themselvesare leading it.AHKused todescribetheactivistsasdiamondsofthecommunityandImustsayIsawhundredsofthemonthisvisit.Beingassociatedwithnearlyamillioncommunityorganisations(COs,SHGs) inSouthAsia, IcansaywithfullconfidencethatforthesuccessoftheGroup,agood honest and competent activist is amust. RGMVP has donewonderfully well infosteringsuchalargepoolofCRPs.

16. RGMVPnowfacestwochallenges;firstlyhowtoconsolidateitsgainssofarintermsofmakingtheSamooh,theGramSangathanandtheBlockSangathanfinanciallyviable,forexample,whenIraisedthisissuewithoneoftheBlockSanghthan(BS)comprising612SHGsand30GSrepresenting7260households, theyhadnotthoughtof it.Theywerehappy and contended receiving a subsidy of Rs. 20-30,000 per month from RGMVP.When I posed the question, in view of substantial income of the households due toaccesstoCCL,woulditbeaskingtoomuchofeachmemberofSHGtocontributeRs.5per month to meet the recurrent cost of running the BS. There was silence but nodisagreement.IsuggestedtheyneednotstoptakingthesupportfromRGMVPbuttimehas come for themto startbuildingupanendowment for future sustainabilityof theSangathan.IgottheideafromwhatIsawalreadyhappeningatNyaKherainJhansi.

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17. The bigger issue is that credit is not the end all and be all of a poverty reductionprogramme,astheexperienceoftheworldhasshownandmypersonalexperiencewithRuralSupportProgrammes(RSPs).Credit isanexcellentgluetobeginwithtoorganizehouseholds but the management and field staff should not stop there, they shouldcontinuetostimulatetheaspirationsoftheorganizationsofgettingtheirentitlementsandrights,ashasbeendoneinmanyplacesbutthishastobemainstreamedlikeCCL.Itisonlythenorganizationsofthepeoplewillbesensitizedtoachievetheirhighergoals,whicharewithintheirgrasp.

18. The Independent South Asian Commission on Poverty Alleviation, set up by SAARCStates in 1991,made an overarching recommendation to the Heads of State, on thebasis of empirical evidence from rural areas of South Asia that Social Mobilizationshould be the centerpiece of all poverty reduction strategies of the States and toachieve this goal States should allocate resources to set up independent andautonomous sensitive support organizations to organize the poor because socialmobilizationdoesnotlenditselftoasupportstructurefetteredbybureaucraticnormsandprocedures.RGMVP,SERPandRSPsareexamplesofwhattheCommissionhad inmind. RSPs and SERP successes are largely attributable to support from thegovernments.

19. RGMVP,despitelackofsupportfromtheStateGovernment,hasdemonstratedclearlyandunquestionablythatthereistremendouspotentialinruralwomenofUPandgiventherequisitesupport,theyarecapableoftransformingthelivesoftheruralpooroftheState.However,thistransformation,asithappenedinAndhra,willonlytakeplaceifthepoorwomenofallthe800Blocksin75districtsofUParebroughtinanorganizedfold.RGMVP has the wherewithal, except the resources, to take it to scale. To mymind,National Rural LivelihoodMission (NRLM) has the requisite resources to partnerwithRGMVP,toachieve itsobjectiveofpovertyreduction intheState. InmymeetingwiththeCommissionerRuralDevelopmentUP,kindlyarrangedbySampath,Mr.SrivastavadidnotseemaversetoNRLM’s linkagewithRGMVP. Iearnestly imploredtheteamtogetthisdoneotherwiseposteritywillcryatagoldenopportunitylosttobanishpovertyfromUP.

RGMVPValidatestheInsightsSince the first visit of Shoaib Sultan Khan Sahab in 2008, RGMVP followed each and everyadviceandinsightsprovidedbyhim.Inadditiontotheabove-mentionedinsights,RGMVPhadveryimportantlearningsfromhimbyassociatingwithhiminhisfieldvisits,whicharegiven,below:

1. Thepoorneedsinstitutionalplatformstocomeoutofpoverty2. Therearediamondsamongthepoor.Weneedtosearchandpolishthem3. Successdependsonthequalityofthesupportorganization4. Societyneedsholisticdevelopment5. Thereshouldbeconsistencyinourapproachanditneedspatienceandperseverance

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6. Weshouldfocusonwhatthepoorcando.

TheRGMVPteamlearnedthebasicsfromhimandheldhisadvisesdeartoitsheartandstartedgraduating.

RGMVPhasgrownup

From 2008, the year of Shoaib Sultan Khan Sahab’s first visit, till now, it is the story oftremendousgrowthofRGMVPreachingouttothepoorestofthepoor(BPLs)in275backwardblocksacross42districtsofUttarPradesh.ThejourneyofRGMVPhasvalidatedeveryinsightofthegreatvisionary.ItcanbeseenfromtheKeyImpactChartgivenbelow:

NewInsightsandLearnings

EvolutionofCorebeliefsofRGMVP

The Learning from the visits and advices of Shoaib Sulatan Kahn Sahab and RGMVP’s ownexperience from the field enabled RGMVP to develop a strong belief system of its owncomprisingofthefollowingelements:

Over Rs. 403 crores loan availed from banks

Membership of 15,48,850 women

SHGs- 1,34,542

VOs-5920 BOs-174

69,119 self managed SHGs Training to 75,000 + farmers

on sustainable agriculture methods

RGMVP: Key Impacts - As of Sept’2015

Institutional Delivery – 80% ANC checkup during pregnancy 80%

Child Immunization – 70%

Milk procurement by Mother Dairy from SHGs-

150,000 liters per day

Estimated corpus of over Rs. 95 crores

2000+ food grains bank managed by the community

7168 young women self help groups

•  551 farmers involved in Community Based Seed Production Program (CBSP)

•  More than 150 ton seeds produced under CBSP •  2 ton seeds stored in 17 Community Seed Banks

•  RGMVP has become National Resource Organization and Supports 5 States under NRLM

•  46 Block Organizations entered in to Partnership with UPSRLM for implementation leading to self sustainability of these community institutions

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1. Poorhavestrongdesireandinnateabilitytocomeoutofpoverty.Psychological,social,economicandpoliticalobstaclessuppressthiscapability.

2. Poorhaveastrongspiritofvolunteerism.3. Poorcancomeoutofpovertyonlythroughtheirowninstitutions.4. Socialmobilization isneededtounleashthe innateabilities.But it isn’tautomaticand

needstobeinduced.5. Everyonehasthepotentialandthedesiretogiveleadership.6. Leadershipisavoluntaryandunconditionalactiontohelpothers.Themorediversethe

organization,greater is theconfidenceof the social capital.Hence it is ineverybody’sinterestto“include”others.

7. Disrupt the hierarchy: Non-hierarchical communication can help in acceptance andunderstandingofmessagesbycommunityleadingtoeffectivebehaviorchange.

StrategiesFollowedbyRGMVP

AllstrategiesinRGMVPareevolvedaroundthecorebeliefs.TheCommunitiesareunorganizedand lack platforms for voicing their opinions. The poor are skeptical due to previously failedcharitable/beneficiary models that do not take their community perspective. There is ahierarchy prevalent inhibiting realunderstanding and participation. HenceRGMVP’sstrategyistoorganizecommunitytorecognizethattherearetwoclearboxesofoptions in frontof them.One is a “self-helpbox”fullofoptionswhichtheycandobythemselvesandwhichcanbringpositivechanges in their life. The other is the“entitlement box” which has a number ofoptions, which they can resort to, providethey have the knowledge, courage andconfidence to act individually andcollectively. Thus the basic strategy is tomobilize the community to organize theirown institutionsofSelfHelp, i.e.,SelfHelpGroups (SHGs) and their federations andbuild the capabilities for self-help andaccesstoentitlementsasunder:

• HelpsthecommunitytoorganizeintoSHGsandenablefinancialempowermentatthefamilyleveltoaddressindebtednessandpatriarchalbarriers

• Federateswomenatvillageandblocklevels,ensuringsynergybetweenthedemandandsupplyside

• Uses a cost-effective, auto-catalytic and self-sustainingmodel to reach out to sociallyexcludedfamilies

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• Focusesonfinance, healthand livelihoodprograms tohelp families take thepathofprosperity.

• Raisesawarenessandconfidenceofwomenandtheirfamiliestoaccessentitlements• Nurturesleadershipandvolunteerism

• Createsocialcapital forcapabilitybuildingof institutionsand itsmembersandscalingupthemobilization

InstitutionBuilding:SHGsandFederations

RGMVPhas re-conceptualized theconventionalnotionofSelfHelpGroups,whereSHGsfacilitatedbyitimbibethe values of collective ownership, equal participationand decision-making, ability to evolve and efficiency.SHGsunderallprogramsactasoperatingplatformsforwomentocollectivizeandshareknowledge.

EachSHGconsistsof10-20poorwomen,typicallyfromsimilar socio-economic backgrounds. They arestrategically federated to form a Village Organization(at a village level), representing 150-250poor familiesfrom 10-20 SHGs. Each VO is in turn federated into aBlock Organization (at the block level), representing5000-7000 women. This results into a 3- Tierinstitutionalmodel.

Atthetimeofcollectivization,RGMVPfacilitatesSHG-bankandcreditlinkage.Oncetheentirefederationhasbeen institutionalized, thesedisseminationplatformsareefficientlyutilized toprovide technical and sensitive support on a variety of areas including health and nutrition,sustainable agriculture and dairy, rural livelihoods, sanitation and financial inclusion. As astrategy,RGMVPanditsfieldfunctionarieshaveidentifiedandnurturedacadreofcommunitylevelleaders,volunteersandtrainers,builttheircompetency,sotheycandrivetheprograminthe communities deeper and wider as a project withdrawal stage. Capacity building anditerative trainings from RGMVP for all women in the federation is also imparted on acontinuousbasis.RGMVPworksbeyondprojectrelatedinterventionstobreakingdeep-rootedbarriers of private and public institutions. It promotes social inclusion through women ascentralchangeagents.IthasexpandedthescopeoftheSHGmodeltoasocialempowermentplatform. The process is bottom-up creating platforms for communities to work together,enhancingknowledgeamongthecommunity, increasingtheirabsorptioncapacity,generatingleadershipamongthepoorestofthepoorandcreatinganenablingenvironmenttochallengethefundamental issues. Itenhancesskillsandcapacityofcommunitiestomakedecisionsandtake action to improve their immediate and social environment. It encourages adoption ofpositivebehaviours,bychangingsocialandculturalnormsinthesociety.Thustheapproachisholistic.

Three–tierinstitutionalstructure

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TheSHGisthebasicstructurewherethefollowingactivitiestakeplace:

• Thriftandcreditactivities• Participatorymonitoringofthegroups• Sharing and caring among members, breaking barriers and building confidence and

developingleadershipandvolunteerism• Household Individual Investment Plans through Bank Linkages, Individual poverty

reductionplans

The VO is more for strengthening collectivization, leadership development and access toentitlementsasunder:

• StrengtheningofSHGs,monitoringandreviewandhandholding• ArrangelineofcredittotheSHGs• Social action including health awareness, linkages with Anganwadi and ASHA and

helpingmembers• Accesstorightsandentitlements• VillagedevelopmentandlinkagewithGramPanchayatsandLeadershipdevelopment• Trainingandothersupportactivities,SocialCapitalidentificationandnurturingofBank

SakhisandSwasthyaSakhis• Reaching out to left over purvas and connecting to left over households and

mobilizationofSHGs• Building their own corpus through fixed contribution from SHGs and also by creating

grinbanksformeetingemergencyneedsatvillagelevel.

The BO is the apex level body of SHGs at block level which functions mainly as a resourceorganizationmanagedbywomenasunder:

• SupporttoVOs• SecurelinkagewithGovt.Depts.• Auditingofthegroups• Traininghubs• CreatingacorpusoftheBOforsustainabilitythroughmonthlycontributionsfromBOs

andexploringothersourcestoenhancethecorpus• Actsasacommunityresourcecentre

RGMVP believed that Information is the key to unlocking the barriers. The three tierinstitutional model in RGMVP acts as an “information pipeline” reaching out to each SHGmemberandthustoeachhousehold.

TheRGMVPProcessofempowermenthasbeenstudiedandaccreditedbytheTataInstituteofSocialSciences(TISS).

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Successstory

Kismatun Bi was poor and lived in a small hut. She had lost her husband while she was young and bore the responsibility of bringing up 8 children. She worked as a midwife in a hospital. Her meagre salary was insufficient to make her meet both ends. This is what she has to say, “With God’s grace, I came to know about SHGs and decided to join in”. She adds, “SHG changed my life and I was able to make my children’s dreams come true.”

Kismatun Bi began her monthly savings with great difficulty but soon borrowed money for a family livelihood. One of her sons did a baking course and she established a bakery, which she now manages in Bahadurpur. The bakery does excellent business. Kismatun Bi’s another son is presently employed in Saudi Arabia.Not surprisingly, his ticket and Visa was financed from CCL. She financed the marriage of her three daughters with her group’s help. Younger sons of this confident SHG woman are still studying in school. Kismatun Bi hopes that she will discharge the necessary duties for them in the future with the group’s help.

CapabilityBuildingandnurturingofSocialCapital

The core activity of RGMVP is to build the capacity of the people by building capabilities toaddressthechallenges.Intheprocess,anumberofwomenleadershipcadresaregeneratedtocarry forward the process led and owned by women with support of entire householdmembers.

RGMVP invests heavily in building capabilities of community women it works for. Once theSHGs and their federations were institutionalized, field functionaries identified motivatedwomen,nurturedthemandimpartedextensivetrainings.Overtime,thesewomen,developedcompetency in numerous areas including – financial inclusion, banking, book keeping,maintainingofrecords,health,sanitationandlivelihoods.

After extensive capacity building and nurturing, trained community leaders transformed intoSamooh Sakhi (who engages in communitymobilization), Swasthya Sakhi (engages in healthmessage dissemination), Ajeevika Sakhi (livelihood specialist), Bank Sakhi (expert in banking/financialmatters,whocanlendahelpinghandtootherSHGmemberstoopenbankaccounts).RGMVPalso identifiedexceptionalwomenwhocouldactasmaster trainersandmobilization

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agencies, trained them further transforming them into social capital such as a CommunityResourcePersonandProgramIn-chargeofCommunity.

Itisnotsurprisingthattheconfidencebuiltupintheprocesshaspropelledmanyawomentotakeup leadershippositions in the localgovernanceand led themto takebigger roles in thefederationsitself.Manysuchwomenarecompetentenoughthattheytraveloutsidethestateof Uttar Pradesh to assist in the implementation and roll out of the National Rural HealthMission,adevelopmentmissionbytheGovernmentofIndia.

Community Resource Development Centers (CRDCs), Community Development Institution(CRDI)andCommunityProgrammeManagementTeam(CPM)

As the programme expanded, RGMVP decentralized its processes by setting up CommunityResourceDevelopmentCentersatstrategiclocations.TheseCRDCsactasincubationcentersforcommunity institutionsbuildingandcapacitybuildingaswellasprogrammescaleup. ItwastheexperienceofRGMVPthatexternaltrainerscouldnoteffectivelytrainthepoorwomenasthey were not able to understand the organisational as well as local perceptive and thecommunityontheotherhandwerenotabletounderstandthetrainer’sperspective.Therefore,in the CRDCs, RGMVP introduced the community-managed system of training and capacitybuildingofSHGs,VOsandBOsonthedifferentthematicareasandconcepts.Itnurturedateamof exemplary women who had unique case studies and success stories to function asCommunityResourceDevelopmentInstitution.Thesewomenhadovercomeseveraleconomicand societal barriers but had also been critical in helping others to combat the same set ofproblems.Theyarenowmaster trainerswhohave theability toassimilatedifferent typesofconcepts, ideas and techniques to empower their communities. They perform the role ofleaders,mentorsandco-facilitatorstoensurethatprocessesandstrategiesarefollowedatalllevels.TheCRDIhasbeensofarsuccessfulinnurturingover7600womenleadersofSHGswhoarealsocalledSocialCapitalUndertheUPCommunityMobilizationProject,theCRDIcouldsofarnurtured2155SocialCapitalswhoarecapableofhealthmessagingandfacilitatingbehaviorchange in community. This year, we formed a Community ProgrammeManagement (CPM)Team in order to involve community members in all key decision-making and managementprocessesoftheorganization!

TheintegratedcommunitymanageddemandcreationandbehaviorchangeprocessofRGMVPisdepictedintheflowdiagramgivenbelow:

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Institution and Capacity Building Model of RGMVP

Geeta Prajapati lives in Kudward Block. She had faced numerous instances of humiliations by upper caste individuals in the past. She was not allowed to sit in front of them. This caste discrimination was the prime reason which made her reluctant to join an SHG.

Geeta was facing many other hardships- worst of them being financial distress. At the behest of a CRP, she decided to join one. What followed is overwhelming – not only for her but for us at RGMVP as well. Geeta now owns a general store, 2 buffaloes, 2 cows and some goats. She has experienced the merits of being a group member. An active person now herself, she helps those of upper caste, who once insulted her to overcome poverty in all its dimensions. Her

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generous efforts blew a wind of revolution in her village which is today free from caste discrimination.

FinancialInclusion

Withinthefirstfewmonthsofformation,theSHGopensabankaccountwhereSHGsavingsarekept.Usuallyafterthreemonths, iftheSHGmeetstheguidelinessetoutbyparticipatingbanksandtheNationalBankforAgricultureand Rural Development (NBARD), the SHGbecomes eligible for its first direct CashCreditLimit(CCL).Thislimitisaminimumofrupees 1 lakh sanctioned to the SHG. Themembersof theSHGuse theirdiscretion todisbursethis loanamount,firsttomemberswho need it themost. RGMVP has built aspecial partnershipwithover 20banks thathaveagreedforCashCredittypeoffinancialsupport to SHGs. Banks own the wholeprocess. There is a special ProjectImplementation and Monitoring Committee (PIMC) at state level under the leadership ofNABARDtoconstantlymonitorthebanklinkageaspectsofSHGsunderRGMVP.SHGmembersarealsoencouragedtotakepartininternallendingfromthesavingscorpusoftheSHG.InternallendingincreasesthesavingamountoftheSHGthroughtheinterestreceivedandalsoensuresagoodworkingdynamicsamongthemembersoftheSHG.Tomaketheprocessofapproachingbankseasier,RGMVPdevelopedthe'BankSakhi'concept.ABankSakhiisanSHGmemberwhohas received extensive training in banking procedures. Bank Sakhis are trained by bankingexperts from RGMVP. Special trainings are organized for SHG members to prepare familydevelopment plans in consultation with their family members for identification of incomegenerationactivitiesanddecidingthequantumofinvestmenttheywouldbeabletomakefortheactivityandamountofloanrequiredfromSHG,oncetheSHGissanctionedacreditlimitbybank.SpecialtrainingsareorganizedforSHGmemberstopreparefamilydevelopmentplansinconsultationwith their familymembers for identificationof incomegeneration activities anddecidingthequantumofinvestmenttheywouldbeabletomakefortheactivityandamountofloanrequiredfromSHG.RGMVP's financial inclusionapproachhasdirectlywillguidetheminbanking processes. There is no financial intermediation through the Village Organisation orBlockOrganisation.Moreoverbankcreditcanbeutilizedthewayanindividualchooses,thoughincomegenerationactivitiesarealwaysencouraged.RGMVP's financial inclusioneffortshavehelped thousands of families in economic empowerment through utilise loans in the mosteffectivemannerlivelihoodsandincomegeneration.TheuniquefeaturesofRGMVP’sfinancialinclusionare:

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• Banksowninguptheinitiative• PromotionofCashCreditLimit• Creditsupportjustafterthreemonthsofformation• Creditupto10*savings(orRs.Onelakh)perSHG• FamilyDevelopmentPlan

SustainableAgriculture

RGMVP’s initiative in sustainableagriculture started with an exclusiveprogrammenamedKhorana inJanuary2009. The project was a collaborativeeffort among RGMVP as theimplementingpartner,theUniversityofWisconsin (UW), Punjab AgriculturalUniversity (PAU), Mahindra andMahindra (MM), Mother Dairy (MD)and Banaras Hindu University (BHU)withfinancialsupportfromUSAID.Theprogramme focused on poor farmerswho were engaged in small-scaleagriculturalactivities.TheobjectiveofKhoranaprogramwastoraiseyieldsofmilk,toincreasehumanresourcecapacitybytrainingfarmleveladvisors,outreachpersonnelandmanagementstaff to strengthen farmer links to outputmarkets and input suppliers. Thesewere pursuedthrough training community resource persons (CRPs), block level resource persons andconcerningseniorprojectstaffinitially.TheyweredirectlytrainedbyProfessorsfromUniversityofWisconsinondairyandagriculturebestpracticeswhichuselowcosttechnologiesaswellason technologies for better soil management, to develop systems of rice and wheatintensification, on how to build seed banks, on how to manage pests without the use ofpoisonous pesticides and how to go about vegetable cultivation and kitchen gardens toincrease income and ensure food security. The trained CRPs provided training to SHGmembers.

RGMVPencouragedadoptionofSRIandSWImethodsbySHGmemberswhoweresmallandmarginal farmers. Thewomenwho adopted themethods could increase productivity of riceandwheatsubstantially. Underdairy, theprimary focushasbeenonCow/Buffalo rearingandbestpracticesofdairymanagement focusingonanimalmanagementsoas to improvemilkyield.Thetechniquesofachieving an optimum yield include Animal Management and Hygiene, Animal Nutrition,Sufficient Water, Clean Milk Production, Animal Breeding and Artificial Insemination,ManagementandFeedingCalvesandDiseasePreventionandcontrol.Once thewomenhavebeentrainedandstartproducingmilkforsaletheyhaveanoptionofbeing linkedtoMotherDairy,whohassetup88BulkMilkCoolers (BMC) inUP topromoteprocurementand timely

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paymenttothewomen.ThisinitiativeisspreadacrossthedistrictsofRaebareliandAmethiandhasbeenextremelysuccessfulintheregion.ThusthesalientfeaturesofsustainableagriculturalinitiativesofRGMVParelowcostandlowtechnology intensive practices that can be easily learned, understood and practiced byuneducatedwomen.Thekeyinterventionsandresultsareasunder:

§ TrainingonSRIandSWIMethods,CompostMaking§ 60%+increaseinproductivitythroughSRI&SWI§ 600+Agri.CRPstrained§ 75,000+ women exposed to best

practices§ More than 150,000 liters of milk

collected by Mother Dairy from over30000SHGhouseholdsdaily

Last year, RGMVP pilot tested a seedmultiplication programme in Amethi andRaebareli districts. Under this, womenbrought Foundation Seed (Paddy) fromAgricultural University and following the SRImethodgrewseed,whichtheywouldbeexchangingforthecomingkahrifseason.Theyhavealsocreatedseedbanksin17villagesattheirrespectiveVOsbyvoluntarycontribution,whichwhensoldwilladdtothecorpusoftheVO.

Health

UttarPradeshaccountsfor9%oftheglobal poor, with a disproportionateamount of neonatal (28%) andmaternal (35%) deaths. This isamplifiedbypovertyandtheconstantfinancial burden that families face,leaving them helpless during healthemergencies. Additionally,behavioural change regardingregressive health practices is achallenge, which keeps demand forhealth services low. Moreover, thestatehasstruggledtoprovideneonatalandmaternalservicesduetothelackofeffectiveandscalable health care interventions. RGMVPmaintains that disproportional maternal and neonataldeathscanbeattributedpartlytoloweffectivedemandforhealthservicesandpartlytoinsufficient and inefficient public health infrastructure. In this regard, RGMVP operates as acriticalground forbridgingdemandsideconstraintswithsupply side rightsandentitlements.

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ThesocialoperatingplatformscreatedthroughfederatedSHGsactasastrategicmechanismtoconnect the demand-supply bridge from both ends. Communities are seen not merely asrecipients of care but as powerful and aware health seekers commanding efficient qualityhealthservicesanddemandingimprovedaccess.RGMVPhastrainedover240,000communityleaders inmaternal, neo-natal and child health this year, including information about the 6dangeroussignsofpregnancy,KangarooMotherCareandexclusivebreast-feeding.RGMVP trained 35 thousand SHGmembers,over17000VillageHealth,Sanitation and Nutrition Committeemembersonnutrition.Approx.5000Village, Health and Nutrition Dayswere co-facilitated by ourcommunitywomen.SHGwomenareconducting Lot Quality AssuranceSampling (LQAS) to monitorperformance and impact of ourhealth interventions. Usuallyconducted by field researchers, wedecided to train community womenthemselvesandletthemconductthesurveys!Women in the process of healthbehaviorchange

NRLM

RGMVP is a National Resource Organization for the National Rural Livelihood Mission. Westarted supporting in four statesof India- Jammu&Kashmir,Punjab,Haryana andHimachalPradesh todevelopSHGbasedmodel.AlsoRGMVPhas signedMoUwithUPGovernment torolloutSRLMinUPStateandinclusionofSHG’spromotedbyRGMVPunderNRLM. As a result, 46 BOs nurtured by RGMVP are directly implementing NRLM in their respective blocks. For the first time in History of India, developments funds under a national poverty reduction programme are going directly to the community based organization for implementing programmes the way they decide!

The Strength of Collective Action

Bhartiya Mahila BLA belongs to the Jagatpur Block. The BLA has become famous for their campaign against Domestic violence and dowry. This brief seeks to explain their zeal and modus operandi.

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A woman was being constantly physically tortured for dowry demands ever since she got married. Once badly beaten by her in laws, she was thrown out of the house. Covered in bruises and bleeding, the woman was lying by the roadside crying for help, when an office bearer of Bhartiya Mahila BLA found her. She called other members of her SHG and together they took care of the injured woman, dressed her wounds and fed her. They arranged her stay in one of the office bearer’s home.

Next day, an emergency BLA meeting was called for and solutions discussed and debated. Finally, as agreed, all BLA members took the woman to her in law’s home. They sat and conveyed the needed message to them politely but firmly. Her In-laws, who were not ready to listen initially, calmed down at once seeing the numbers and strength of the women who accompanied their daughter in law.

Well versed with the laws and punishment of dowry and violence and their applicability, BLA women made them realize the seriousness of their deed and the punishment which they would be subject to if they violated the same hence forth. This is when RGMVP observed that regressive social reforms in communities can be realized with the collective strength of empowered women.

Amilestoneininstitutionbuilding

As on 8thMarch 2015, on the InternationalWomen’s Day, RGMVP reached amilestone incommunity institution building by taking the number of block organizations of, by and forwomenunderRGMVPto150!Today,wehave174BlockOrganisation.

ExpandingPartnership

AsRGMVPgrew, its partnership alsoexpanded. StartingwithNABARD,RGMVP’spartnershipexpanded to UNICEF, BMGF, GAIN, DFID, SDBI , PHFI, University of Wisconsin, BostonUniversity,UniversityofMichigan,HarvardUniversityandIRRI.

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YoungWomen’sSHGs

RGMVP has initiated interventions forstrengthening the PRIs for increasedparticipation of women in local self-governance and organizing youngwomen in to SHGs for overallempowerment of Girls. Under PRI, aleadership development and politicalempowerment programme toencourage women’s leadership andparticipationinPRIhasbeeninitiatedin2000 villages.Over 6000 YWSHGs havebeen organized so far. The YoungWomen SHGs programme is creating aspacefortheyouthtohavetheirvoicesheard, helping them to build confidence, enhance their awareness on health, hygiene andsanitation,improvecommunicationskillsandleadershiptraits.

InnovationsinCommunityParticipationinProgrammeManagement

The community participation in the programme has been recently enhanced throughintroductionoftheinnovativeconceptofCommunityProgrammeManagement(CPM)Team.Ateam of exemplary SHG leaders will be part of all strategic planning in the ProgrammeManagement Team of RGMVP! And after they gain sufficient experience in programmemanagement, each of themwould be given responsibility ofmanaging a block. Through thistransitionofcommunityresourcepersons,already31blocksofRGMVParecurrentlymanagedby Community Programme Officers (CFOs) who are SHG leaders. Now nothing can stop thespreadofRGMVPtospreadtootherblocks.

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TheStoryofsuccesscontinues

RGMVP thus is the story of success of a uniqueway ofmobilization and creating prosperitythinking in the minds of women, giving an identity, a new life and new hope for them,somethingwhichhasneverhappenedbeforeinthestateofUttarPradesh.Lowercastewomenwho were not allowed to wear chappals while passing the houses of the upper class have

musteredcouragetobreakandcomeoutofthesubjugation.CastediscriminationisalmostathingofthepastamongtheSHGwomen. Hindus and Muslims are allmembers of the same group. Womenhave come out of their purdas, shackles,theageoldbandhansandgotofarawayplaces with the full consent of theirfamilies formeetings, toreceiveandgivetrainings and to mobilize community.Theirvoicesareheardandtheirviewsarevalued not only in the family but also inthe society. There is joy and ecstasy inhundreds of thousands of women now.ThewomenofUttarPradeshhaveproventhat theyareequal to andeven superiorto thewomenof therestof thecountry.Alltheseachievementswerepossibleonlybecause of realization by RGMVP of onemost fundamentalneed fordevelopment- disrupt the hierarchy. The RGMVP hasbecomeamovement,helpingthe ideaofdisruption of hierarchy, enhancinglivelihoods and saving the newborn andeven participating in local self-governance.RGMVPhasproved that it isthe onlymeans to unlock the barriers tofreedom and equality for the women inthe villages. In RGMVP, we are humbledbythepositive self- image, entrepreneurial spirit, courage and dignity, care and

compassion, spirit of volunteerism and the deep reverence for life shown by the women. Hats off to the Women and Girls!.

IthappenedonlyLastWeek

Sunita ,SHG leaderfromIsoliVillage inBaldiraihad filed nomination for contesting panchayatelections for the position of Pradhan. LastSunday night, a police reached her home andaskedherhowshecouldcontestelectionswhentherewasacasefiledagainstherbysomebodyin the village and ordered her to come to thepolice station on Monday. Police had actedbasedona complaint from theearlierPradhanand team who were also contesting. Sheimmediately contacted some of her SHGcolleagueswho in turncontactedPoonam,oneof our CPM teammemberswho are also fromBaldirai.Nextday,Poonamdroppedhervisit toPMO for CPM teammeeting and accompaniedSunita to the police station along with otherSHG members from the village. The Behanexplained to the police that the case was notagainstherbutagainstsomedistant relativeofherandtheinformationgivenbytheoppositionwas false. It was understood that the policeafter listening to the women gave a goodphysical thrashing to theoppositionteam,whowere also called, because they gave falseinformationandwasted the timeof thepolice.Sunitaandteamreturnedwiththeirconfidenceboosted to contest elections! She is no morealone.

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