Gramin Mahila Vikas Sansthan

Gramin Mahila Vikas Sansthan started its efforts for rural development in the year 1999 with the formation of five self help groups (SHGs) at Khoda Ganesh and Shala Ki Dhani villages under Srinagar Panchayat Samiti of Ajmer district. These groups obtained loans from banks and started income generation activities like dairying, agriculture work, tailoring, embroidery, etc. These activities benefited SHG members a lot.

With this initial success, the organisation started constitution of 25 new SHGs in the year 2000. And even while the work on these SHGs was progressing, the organisation constituted 35 new SHGs in the following year as a part of Famine Relief Project. All these groups were linked with banks and looans arranged for different income generation activities. In 2002, the organisation promoted another 22 groups. For their capacity building, these groups were taken to different SHGs promoted by several organisations in Udaipur. While on excursion, GMVS group members interacted with Udaipur group members, who were engaged into various occupations through SHGs.

With this initial experience, the organisation has promoted new groups every year. By the end of the year 2007, the organisation had promoted almost 200 SHGs out of which 190 were exclusively of women. These SHGs have saved about Rs 90 lakh and given loans totalling Rs 2 crore by banks. The process of formation of new groups is going on. Income of all the SHG members has gone up through income generation activities like dairying, animal husbandry, improved agriculture techniques, tailoring, embroidery, and production of items like chalk, incense stick, candle, fancy garlands, fancy bags, paper bowls, handicraft items, etc. Members of about 15 groups have repaid all the loan instalments and are earning Rs 1,000 to Rs 1,400 per month.

Recently, the organisation has taken steps to charge a small among of Rs 1 or Rs 2 from each member of the group. While on one hand this leads to a sense of belongingness among the group members, on the other hand almost 50 per cent of the honorarium of the project worker is also generated from local resources. The group members readily give this amount and feel that this is for their welfare. It, however, must be noted that full right to pay or not pay to the project worker lies with the group members and if any member makes any objection, the money is not charged. GMVS feels if such an arrangement is adopted on a large scale, the organisations can be made self-reliant to a large extent and empowerment of people will also hasten up.