Women show the way

JHUND (Bagru): A delegation, including representatives from Commonwealth nations, visited the sleepy village of Jhund. They were here to witness the success story of hundreds of women, who have, through their self-help groups (SHGs), managed to transform their lives and make a decent living.
This prompted the Commonwealth secretariat to send their team to evaluate the success and prepare the model of grassroots development in order to replicate it elsewhere.
Representatives at the six-day Commonwealth India Small Business Competitiveness Development Programme in Jaipur, visited Jhund about 36 km from the city. They interacted with BPL women working under SHGs to create opportunities to a better livelihood.
Shobha Gupta, 50, who studied up to Class V, said after being a part of the SHG in her village for a decade, now,she manages to earn Rs 4,000 a month. “We are engaged in aari taari, Gota Kinarey work (zari embroidery) and also have market access to sell our products,” said Gupta. She added almost all married women and few girls from the village have been part of the SHGs. An NGO, SR Society, spearheaded the programme in the village at least 10 years ago. Initially, they had a tough time bringing out the women from indoors and interact.
The socio-economic transformation of the village through sustainable employment, profit-making and capacity empowerment of BPL families, impressed the visitors.
Saleema Ahmad, president of Bangladesh Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry, plans to replicate the system in her country on the basis of micro-financing. she plans to provide vocational training to village women. “ I am overwhelmed to see how organised they are and the way they have come out of the closet specially in a male-dominated society is very inspiring,” she added.
Many villagers agreed that their lives have undergone a big change since the SHGs began. Sardar Singh Meena, teacher in the only upper primary school, said today every child in the vilage attends school and the SHGs have ensured attendance. “We also make sure that no child remains outside the frame of formal education (at least till Class 5) and then we motivate them to take up secondary school as well,” said Meena.
“The SHG has a network across 26 villages of Sanganer, Phagi and Dudu blocks,” said PN Sharma, director SR Society. The network has an annual turnover over Rs 2.5 crore and has deposits amounting to Rs 60 lakh. “Institutional credit is provided by the Union child and women devlopment ministry, NABARD and SBI among others,” added Sharma.