SISTER’S

AID

AREA OF IMPLEMENTATION

Shikharbali – I Gram Panchayat, Baruipur Block, South 24 Parganas District, West Bengal, India

REPORTING PERIOD APRIL 2015 – SPETEMBER 2015

SUPPORTED BY:

YOGA GIVES BACK

IMPLEMENTED BY:

NISHTHA, Baruipur

AIM

Ensuring socio-economic empowerment of women and girls of Shikharbali – I Gram panchayat of Baruipur Block of South 24 Parganas district, West Bengal.

BASIC ANALYSIS

This was a new phase. During this new phase we have formed 7 new groups with 77 new

members. The information about member wise loan provided, loan paid, outstanding loan,

average monthly income, number of loan cycle, occupation, activities and basic outcomes as

attached as annexure with this report.

The major highlights of are:

The project has benefitted 285 women participants and their daughters.

The average loan per member is Rs. 1631. Presently, 91.18 % of the loan extended is

paid back while the rest is outstanding.

The average size of loan is Rs. 2193.

The year wise average monthly income of the members is below mentioned which clearly

show the

steep

increase in

the

monthly

income of

all the

members

from Rs.

539 per

month to

Rs. 1027

per month

i.e. there is 90.53% increase in the av. Income during last four years, which we feel as a

great success of this program and induced a great impact in the lives of the members.

IMPORTANT STARTEGY UNDERTAKEN

During this year, the area suffered from untimely rain which destroyed all the agricultural

production. As the area is predominantly dependent on agriculture be it in own land and / or

as agriculture labour, the financial situation was quite bad.

We had to take a hard decision during this period. Considering the situation of the household,

it was quite clear that if we provide loan to the members during this period then the amount

will be used for consumption purpose (not on income generation purpose). The members

either under the pressure of husband or out of love & care, will not be in condition to invest

in income generation activities.

We also had earlier experience in the past, where due to flash flood, the area was in quite

bad situation. That time when the loans were provided, all the money was invested for

consumption and house repair purpose. None of them invested in income generating

purpose and were not even able to return the loan taken. It took nearly 4-5 years for most of

them to return the loan.

So, we took a decision which was quite hard for us i.e. not to provide any loan during this

period. The household somehow managed to arrange money be it from neighbours, relatives

or other places or selling something.

We have taken a decision to provide the loan only after they have already engaged in another

cultivation season during winter. Then the members will be in better condition (financially &

emotionally) to use the opportunity provided to them for income generation activities and

come out of phenomenon of poverty.

Story of Reboti Pal

Group Name- Shakti Mantra

Address- Shikarbali Village, Shikarbali – I G.P., Baruipur Block, South 24 Parganas

Reboti lives in a small house in Sikharbali Village with her daughter. When she was 19 years old and her daughter Debika was 6 months old & is physically challenged (problem in leg), her husband died. Any girl who becomes widow at young age are hugely discriminated and socially excluded. The society blames her for the death of her husband and says that it’s because of her bad effect that her husband dies.

The case of Reboti was not any different. She had to face harsh behavior from in-laws and their neighbors. She was thrown out of her in-laws house. The condition of her parental house was very bad also. She started living in the outer periphery of her parental house with her physically challenged daughter.

Reboti is a daughter of earthen-pot maker. She has acquired little skill during her childhood only. She started working as labour for pottery maker but the labour wages were quite less. It was not enough for ensuring two square meals for the mother and daughter. Somehow they survived for last 8-9 years.

When the Shakti Montra group was formed, other members of the group who knew her condition and was little empathetic towards her invited her to join the group. All the years of social exclusion and poverty, made her very less confident.

She was quite afraid to start her own work. The leader of the group and other members helped her to continue business. They used to help her in calculation and raw materials ensuring. Gradually she was gaining confidence. She used the loan to purchase special mud used for making the pot. The mud comes in a lorry and she established a linkage

with them. Also, for burning (baking) the raw clay pots she requires fuel. She used the money to purchase fuel. Then she sells after counting to businessman.

She is no more a labour now. She is incurring good profit and now the mother & daughter have money food, education & clothing, however she aspires for having a better house which she is planning to construct after savings for 3-4 years.