SHG Traing Workshop
SHG REFRESHER PROGRAM ON CREDIT LINKAGE FOR SPICE PROCESSING & PACKAGING
The existing self help groups (SHGs) of East Kolkata Wetlands, namely Devi, Gouri, Parvati and Durga have been functioning successfully for past one year in the area, the groups in cohesiveness have shown immense sincerity in maintenance of meeting minutes and accounts pertaining to internal lending and deposits etc. For sometime past, they all have been requesting SAFE for hands on training on a vocation program which can be done from home and is less time consuming. As many of them are working in bheries and few members in the adjacent areas, they wanted to attain training to develop a scope for alternative economic opportunity.
At present they on average warn 800-1000 rupees per month and to meet the daily needs is becoming extremely difficult for the constant rise in the price of basic commodities. After a discussion at the regular SHG meetings, the unanimous decision was in favour of spice processing & packaging training. The SHG's after the training would try for soft loans to start their business at a small scale. As a part to this end, SAFE with the support from the SHG refresher program of NABARD, conducted two day refresher program for each groups. The program titled, “Credit linkage for spice processing & packaging”, have been organized consecutively, in three programs, each for two days. The first program was held on 6-th-7th Nov, 2009 at the Natar bheri of EKW, second on 10 th -11 th Nov,09 at Sardar Bheri and the third on 14 th -15 th Nov 09 at the Sukantanagar bheri. The said refresher program has been attended by 47 women members of SHG. A team of experts in spice processing and packaging, headed by Mr. Prashanta Biswas, Chief Chef of Hotel Sojourn, was the resource person for all the training events. The day I, was basic processing of the spices, which includes cleaning, sun drying, sorting,.On the day II, they were provided lessons on how to properly sieve the spices, then followed by grinding, mixing in right proportions and lastly they were trained on packaging and labeling for making it more consumer friendly. The event was participated by women members with great enthusiasm and now they are planning to apply for a loan to start a small scale business as spices have a consistent demand in the market and it can be worked out from home in proper co-ordination. The members learnt making special spice recipes like Paw Bhaji masala, Chana masala, mutton, chicken masala, Chat masala and Sambar masala . The event was indeed a refresher for the poor women members and they are rejuvenated with great confidence to work for better livelihood.
The trained group members on the occasion of Managing Director's visit to the RIF project site, prepared spices and packed it with special care to gift to MD, CGM and other high officials as a token of gratitude. We appreciate this wonderful gesture with such sincere efforts and certainly hope soon they can grow in their endeavors.
SHG Awareness program report
Outcomes:
1. There has been an long effort by SAFE for the poor women of Mollar Bheri, who lost their jobs because the bheri is now encroached and converted to a waste dumping ground. The women, once workers in the bheris are now turned to rag pickers and is everyday exposed to hazardous untreated hospital wastes in the area. On 12 th & 15 th Sep, 09, SAFE conducted a meeting at the local club house in the area known as Khasmohol, and the other at Sardar Bheri, this area is much inside the EKW and is scarcely populated. About 26 women attended the awareness program, and one group has been already formed of 14 members. The challenge is that each of them earns 500-600 rupees in 3 months from the collected wastes, now to run an SHG account by depositing even 30 rupees per month is difficult.
2. On 22 nd Sep 09, & 24 th Sep 09 SHG awareness program was conducted in the Bamanghata bheri, for the women folks working in fish cultivation directly and indirectly. About 42 women attended the meeting and out of which about five women complained about the continuous uncertainty surrounding bheri fish cultivation, and they are seeking some alternate means of livelihood for to sustain themselves when the fish production is low.
3. On 30 th Sep 09, SAFE for first time conducted SHG awareness program at the bheries behind the Calcutta International School. It is a part of the East Kolkata Wetlands, which has about five interconnected huge ponds. Like other bheries fish cultivation has been the traditional occupation in the area under ‘Purba Kolkata Motsa Jibi Samiti' , about 22 women participated in the event in the cooperative office.
4. On 2 nd Oct, 09, and 6 th Oct 09, SHG awareness program was conducted at the Doctor bheri of EKW, and Saheb Mara bheri about 38 women participated in the event. The East Kolkata Wetlands area is shrinking fast and many fishermen and women workers are losing their occupation. They not only want, that the wetlands are conserved but are also looking for alternate means of livelihood in the area for which they do not have to go far.
5. For long time, the Bidhannagar Municipality, has been requesting SAFE for initiating some welfare program in the East Kolkata Wetlands adjacent areas which are densely populated with poor people living in slums. This time SAFE, on 10, 17 th , and 25 th Oct, 09, conducted SHG meetings on Mahish Batan, and Duttabad area. At the meeting we also discussed about proper hygiene and cleanliness. About, 44 women attended the meetings.
Constraint
Though the response is good from the participants and they have already enrolled their names in framing groups comprising 10-12 members. But the biggest constraints faced are that the banks in the area are least interested in such accounts and are not very cooperative. Under various rules, photo id election card, ration cards are required by banks, but most women, especially the ones like rag pickers and labourers do not possess any of such documents. Thus despite the formation of group through a meeting, we are unable to link them with the Bank. Thus the opening of accounts of at least five newly formed groups in the areas as mentioned in the report is facing delay in the process of bank linkage.
SHG leadership training program report:
19 th - 20 th October 09, Training program for group leaders at Sukantanagar Bheri was conducted to train them in handling the bank instruments and other formalities once they get a credit linkage. Mr.Ashim Bannerjee, Rtd, Asst. General Manager, of the State Bank of India, and Mrs. Subarna Ghosal, Accountant by profession was the resource person for the event, who gave them lessons on accounting and modalities of loan application etc. Mr.Bannerjee, said, it is very important to be linked with the bank and in groups, loans can be requested for. He also briefed the groups about various government schemes under which they can apply for loans.
Mrs Ghosal, gave easy calculation tips to the SHG's for maintenance of accounts which usually they find difficult. For individual pass book maintenance and group accounts maintenance, and proper updating of the records she gave lessons to the group leaders.
Out of this brainstorming session, SAFE could bring out some easy solutions to the Self Help Group (SHG) account maintenance which we would like to share in form of a publication in Bengali language.