presentaion by k. francis

7/30/2019 Presentaion by K. Francis

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EMPOWERING THE BORN POOR

By KULANDAI FRANCISINTEGRATED VILLAGE DEVELOPMENT PROJECT


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Let me begin my sharing...

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Empowering Quotes by Mother

TeresaLife is a challenge, meet it.Life is a song, sing it.

Life is a struggle, accept it.

Life is life, fight for it.Life is too precious, do not destroy it.~ Mother Teresa ~

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My sharing today:My encounter with people inpoverty conditions.

IVDPs experience in liberatingthe rural masses from debt trap.The challenges &The road map for the future.

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The Road I travelledWas not full of roses, but of thorns,

stones and hard surfaces.

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Appalling in NatrampalayamAs a part of my study I was sent toNatrampalayam a hill- forest locked area inTamilnadu.The life in the village was horrible.No drinking water and basic amenities.Starvation deaths occurred.No school, no hospital, no post office, noroads.Sick had to be carried 25 kms on foot tothe nearest Health center.School going children were engaged inherding cows, sheep, and buffaloes.

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Status of womenThe women were crushed by starvation.They lost live stock due to drought.They were under vicious cycle of debt.Witnessed violence of moneylenders and loss of land

and house.They were left in a hopeless and desperate situation.

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Seed sownAs the pressing need of the people mounted, I decidedto leave Holy cross and continue to serve here and I did

so, establishing IVDP in 1979.

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IVDP recognizedTwo burning issues1.The shortage of water for cultivation2.The debt trap.

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adopted to address the

burning issues:1.Water shed program2.SHG activitieswith the women to liberate

from debt trap.

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Check DamsIVDP promoted small ponds and check dams.IVDP multiplied the check dams and constructed

331 check dams.

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Result of check damsGround water resources increased.The number of live stocks multiplied.

Migrants came back.Smiles and hopes returned.

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Credit facilities (without SHG)IVDP disbursed small loans from the availableIVDP grants with zero interest.

The loans were given to return the loan amount thatwas due to the money lenders.It helped to redeem the land, cattle, ornaments that

were mortgaged.

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Impact of Credit FacilitiesFrom the beginning itself the money lendersopposed our presence in the villages.

Due to our credit 60% of the people took back theland from the money lenders.The people started supporting us.The moneylenders slowed down their activities.Bonded labor system started fading.

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Men SHG year 1980

IVDP wanted total liberation from debt trap.Hence we started SHGs of men.IVDP gave loan from its own sources.SHGs for men proved to be unsuccessful later onas they did not repay the loan.

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Women SHGSo, we started to build on forming SHGs of

women.Landlords or headmen (money lenders) opposedforming SHGs.

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Strategy :So, IVDP mobilized the men who had faced severalhardships in the hands of the moneylenders.With their help, IVDP enlisted their wives as

members of SHGs.

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Members initial response on

SHG

They were afraid of losing theirhard earned savings.IVDP educated them & Trained

them.We made them to operate theiraccounts by themselves.The small savings were availed for

meeting felt needs.Gradually they reposed faith on theSHG.

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Working with IFAD IVDP worked with IFAD from 1990 and promotedwomen SHG.later on we associated with Mahalirthittam till 2003.The Indian Bank primarily supported for the povertyalleviation program and later on SBI, BOI and PGBjoined us.

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.

Due to the sangha activities the confidencelevel of members increased.Their confidence was cemented as their

SHGs were linked with banks.Bank loans fulfilled the dreams of the poorwomen.People started to form groups voluntarily.

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Three Types of LoansSangha Loan given for family needsBank Loan- for micro enterprises

IVDP Loan- (it was given for housing,Construction of toilets, purchase ofHousehold articles etc.,)

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Transformation and sustainable

livelihoodOnce the people were freed fromdebt trap then we concentrated onmicro enterprises and encouraged

women entrepreneurs.Trainings were given onentrepreneurship, skill development

and personality development.

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Income Generation ActivitiesWoman made economically self reliant.So, income generative activities areprompted such as cultivation, rearing livestocks, petty shop, canteen, selling of

vegetables and fruits, grocery shop,handicrafts etc.,

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Holistic

approachIf a woman wants to look after her family, If a woman wants to send her children forhigher studies,

If a woman needs to pursue microenterprise activities,Then she needs to be hale and healthy.Hence this Holistic approach was

introduced among SHGs.

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Complementary Activities to

IVDP Holistic approachesSafe drinking waterEnvironmental sanitation (household toilets, eco-

Envirofit stove)Personal hygiene (sanitary napkins)Renewable energy (solar D-light)

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Companies involved in Holistic

approachThe Holistic programs are implemented in close

association with renowned firms and they give utmostdiscount in their products and the same is awarded tothe members.Pureit-HUL( 12% discount)

Sanitary napkin-Bella( 23% discount)

Fire wood stove-Envirofit(15%)Solar D-light-(10%)

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Results of Holistic approaches60% of the members consume safe

drinking water

75% use sanitary napkins40% use solar D-lights50% members have constructedIndividual House Toilets

(Before initiation, the abovebenchmark was between 0-5%)

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Challenges involved(at the

group level)Keeping the group intact.Dual membership of members.Male interference.Illiteracy among membersRepayment of loan by members.Default and overdue of groups.Group dynamism (savings and credit activities,training, awareness creation, involvement in gramasabha meeting, community welfare activities etc.,)

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Challenges involved(at the

group level)Constant monitoring of groups.Groups economic activities.Marketing the products of members.Poverty reduction.Members self-reliance.Sustainability of groups

Attitude towards Religion

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a enges nvo ve a e an ers30


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a enges nvo ve a e an erslevel)

Bankers worked against the concept, ethics and values ofSHGs and encouraged NGOs for their own interest.

(Moranahalli & Alapatty)Bankers credibility & attitude towards SHGscontinuous linkages to groups.Change of leadership at Bank, RM/ZM level.

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Challenges involved(at31


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Challenges involved(at

Govt.level)Compelling SHGs to come under Mahalirthittam ofTamilnadu.Govts. Revolving fund & subsidies to groups.Govt. officials attitude against NGOs and peoples values.Compelling SHGs to attend Govt.Functions.

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Other Challenges..Unethical free flow of funds by MFIs.One member in many NGOs availing various loans.

Member availing lot of loans more than to her capacity.

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Issues to be tackled ( at group level)

Enrolling a member out of groups geographical area.One member taking more than 2 or 3 loan in the name of othermembers of the same group.Group solely controlled by an animatorTwo or three members of a same family in one group.Animator alone going to Bank for remittance.Attending group meeting by field staff.Periodical auditing of groups .Ownership of members( not Animator owned)

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ssues o e ac e a34


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ssues o e ac e .. aBankers level)

Need uniform processing charges and interest rate.Need a slice on bank statement chargesBankers dishonoring the SHG guidelines.

Creating cordial atmosphere for running SHG activities

Bankers working against the values and ethics of SHGs.( Ex: encouraging members not to repay IVDP Loan

Alapatti and Moranahalli)

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Road map for the future in

empowering the womenRole of NGO:Enrolling the women in SHGs especially SC, ST,differently abled, widow, destitute etc.,Fulfilling basic needs (food, clothing, shelter andeducation)Encouraging women to take part in Grama sabha meetand Panchayat elections.

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Role of NGOs:Decreasing domestic violence.Curtailing religious expenses.Promoting holistic health among women (nutrition, water

and sanitation)encouraging members children to send schools/colleges.Giving due importance for women members in family, inBank and community. ( cultural bias)

Imparting skill development training to members.

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Role of NGOs:Promoting micro enterprises/self employment amonggroup.Constant education of groups.Developing confidence and positive perception throughtraining.Increasing the self esteem of women members.NGO should be committed and transparent.NGOs thoughts should be centered around peoplesdevelopment.

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empowering the womenRole of Banks:Need Free flow of Bank loans to SHGs.Loan appraisal should immediately be followed by

Bank loan.Bank needs to support NGOs which are genuine innature and committed for the up-liftment of womenfolk.Special counter to SHGs in the Banks.For weaker and socially disadvantaged groups loaninterest may be reduced. (like Agricultural loan interest)

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empowering the womenRole of Govt:Should encourage NGOs.No political interference.Taking action against people who unleash violenceagainst women.Creation of Equal opportunity for weaker sections.

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Sustainable Model ?40


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Sustainable Model ?Our model is sustainable one.We dont depend any foreign sources for our ongoing multifarious

SHG activities.The source is derived from the SHG by doing service.It is prudently used for their welfare.Hence we are financially sustainable leading to deliver sustainableholistic programs for the poor.This SHG linkage model is member owned, member run andmember managed and it is for the SHG, of the SHG and by the SHG.(99.9 % staffs are SHG members).This model can be replicated anywhere provided NGO and Bankersare genuine in peoples welfare and there should not be anyinterference of political people.

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Sustainable models

achievement

Repayment : 99.9 per centTotal SHGs: 8,231Total members: 1,53,990Total number of cluster offices: 37Total savings of members: Rs.221 cr.Total amount of Dividend Given:Rs.132 cr.

Total amount of Life Security SolidarityFund:Rs.5.6 cr.Total amount of Educational Service :Rs.4.29 cr.Total amount spent for sanitation : Rs.54 cr.

Total cumulative loans given: Rs.2,406 cr.

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Let me concludeConclusion.

If N d t/43


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If we Need women empowerment/

liberation from debt trap?

NGO should be

a sustainable one.


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Thank you

presentaion by k. francis

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