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Created October 2009, this programme extends small loans to women in Setrawa who traditionally lack access to credit. Within the programme are six self-help groups between 11-14 women who are given advice on better business practices, while holding each other accountable for repaying loans.
Pooshpa Sharma: "My husband runs a shop in the market. We thought that if we ran a shop from our home simultaneously, we could be more successful. I approached Sambhali for a loan as it was interest-free, and we have 4 children to raise. With their help, I started the new shop, and am now in business with my husband, my children go to the Empowerment Centre for extra English. I am very happy."
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Microfinance, the practice of extending small loans to individual borrowers who have traditionally lacked access to credit, has become one of the most popular anti-poverty strategies in the world. The Sheerni Microfinance Project has made progressive steps towards lifting poverty and women’s empowerment through loaning, training and education in the village of Setrawa. At nearly 18 months old, The Sheerni Project has progressed successfully. There are currently 6 Self-Help Groups in Setrawa, with the last 3 groups being 98% Dalit women. The business successes and timely repayments thus far indicate the future self-sufficiency of the women. This year we established internal loaning, using Sambhali’s new revolving fund. With this, women approach Sheerni to ask for loans, interest-free, to start their own enterprises which they pay back over an agreed period of time. The money is then put back into the fund, ready to loan to the next women. This will help for the sustainability of Sambhali’s work with these women. In June, Imrat Kanwar bought a grinding machine for grain, with an internal loan, and realized she couldn’t operate it without electricity in her household. Without any assistance from Sambhali, she approached the Sarpanch (the elected village leader) independently, asking for help. Within four days the Sarpanch had electricity poles erected, and organised electricity for her house. Since then, he has given advice on how to apply for below poverty-level cards, ration cards, NAREGA Scheme (employment for villagers by government) cards and how to fight for their rights. 16 other women have now applied for electricity. We are very proud of their independence and confidence- it’s something we could only dream of when we started this project. This year, Sambhali gave loans for 8 cows, 10 sewing machines, 4 flour-grinding machines, 4 loans for shops, 6 goats, and 2 loans for financial help. We have also lent out 4 sewing machines for women to make sari bags with. 450kg of material was bought for the women to use for their sari-bag enterprises.
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