The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Giving a new dimension to self-help group concept

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Saturday, Apr 30, 2005

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Giving a new dimension to self-help group concept

W. Chandrakanth

From active entrepreneurs to agents of social change, women in Krishna district have come a long way

HYDERABAD: One addition to their business agenda and their whole life has acquired a new meaning. self-help groups (SHGs) of Krishna district, which are merely involved in economic activity thus far, have now become catalysts for social change, impacting the lives of women and providing the deprived sections economic security too.

It could be a case of gender deprivation or disparity in wages or social evils like dowry demands or other parameters like illiteracy, the SHGs here are way ahead of others in tackling the problems. In the process, they are also empowering women at the receiving end stand up to the challenges!

Women in Krishna are on a warpath against the evils - in a comprehensive fashion.

This has helped officials in bridging the gap between the `thought and action' in implementing women empowerment and gender justice programmes.

Social security

The Chief Minister, Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, was shown a sample of how this minor alteration to the business agenda could transform the lives by the Project Director of the DRDA of Krishna district, G. Vani Mohan, here on Friday. The Special Secretary to the Chief Minister, P. Subrahmanyam, was also present.

The official detailed how the SHGs could also double up to provide social security to women.

Members from the SHGs were drawn to constitute social action committees in villages who, in turn, drafted the services of other women willing to play a crucial role in the process of social change. They identified priority areas, including problems of drinking water shortage, as these were instrumental in changing the quality of life. Issues concerning adolescent girls, HIV/AIDS, health and sanitation were the other areas looked into.

The women groups were trained to study the impact of anti-social activities like illicit liquor brewing on women's life to effectively launch a campaign against them.

New agenda

These groups meet at least twice in a month to discuss the social agenda. In all, 975 social action committees were formed in the last two years which could resolve nearly 2, 000 disputes. Twenty-two family counselling centres were also being manned by women by the socially evolved SHGs.

The DRDA had identified 301 `gender victims' (referred to casually as sex workers) in the district and had organised bank-aided economic activity for them imparting skill-based training for them.

The social security net was spread to cover child labour and illiteracy to bring 2,300 school dropouts back to school. Eighteen village nutrition centres and crèches with nominal contribution from women were also opened.

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