Women Self-Help Groups

Women Self-help Groups (SHGs) are being promoted by HARC to bring about economic independence among rural women in the hills. These SHGs have been helpful in expanding and making the role of women visible in social and economic development of their families, village and the region at large. Under the institutional building interventions, HARC facilitates the process of formation of SHGs of rural women, ensuring that they have access to saving schemes, credit facilities and cash money through income generation activities.

The SHGs at the village level are involved in inter-loaning at a nominal interest rate. These members use the loans for production as well as consumption purposes. The model by-laws on inter-loaning processes prepared by the groups with the help of HARC ensure proper utilization of this inter-loan and its timely repayment.

Groups and federations have been linked to the banks by HARC. HARC's advocacy and regular follow-up with bankers has helped raise the scale of finance (CCL).These groups are involved in agri and agri allied income generation activities.

Social security is another area where HARC has facilitated the groups to be linked with social security schemes of the Government like life insurance , health insurance, crop protection etc.It has also motivated the groups and federations for creating Relief funds.

Thus HARC has done the twin task of making these groups and federations self reliant in institution strengthening on one hand while increasing their access to social security schemes on the other.

In rural areas where people especially women are ignorant of these beneficial schemes, HARC has done pioneer work in bringing to the people relevant information and know-how by organizing awareness camps and village level orientation programs in tandem with social security implementation agencies.

These SHGs also provide a common platform for women to discuss and address their problems and other social issues