Breaking New Grounds in Tobacco Control - Voluntary Health ...

they applied for bank gradation and were
successful in getting a loan of Rs 10, 000
to start a knitting unit. As this amount
was not sufficient VHAI also invested Rs
10, 000 to purchase the knitting and other
required material. These women through
their dedicated efforts achieved modest
success after some time. After one year,
they again applied for loan and received
Rs 40, 000 from the bank. Now after two
years they have applied again and may
receive an advanced loan Rs 1,00,000 from
the bank.
Similarly in the subsequent years, other
groups like Islam Swanirbhar, Mahamaya,
Maa Tara and many other groups were formed
that were engaged in knitting, stitching,
embroidery, tailoring, rice marketing any
other similar businesses. These groups
took training from Zila Parishad or through
VHAI and started a small home-based
business. The Mahamaya group is engaged
in turmeric cultivation. The group members
jointly collected Rs 11, 000 which they
used to take a land on lease. In April 2011,
they sowed turmeric in this land with the
objective of cultivating turmeric to prepare
and sell turmeric powder in the local
market. The initial results are promising
and the group is considering doing some
more investments. Apart from these SHGs,
VHAI was successful in forming and helping
almost 40 groups that are engaged in
various other kinds of activity like poultry,
papad-making, traditional craft, pottery,
broom-making, basket-making and rice
trading etc.
VHAI also provided help to those SHGs
that were already in existence but were
not able to achieve any success. SHGs like
Mahalaxmi now engaged in poultry business
was formed by the bidi rolling women
themselves in 2008, but without guidance
and technical support, they were not able to
take their dream further. VHAI guided them
in documenting the accounts and preparing
a business proposal to be submitted in the
bank. With the combined efforts of VHAI
and the group they were able to secure a
loan of Rs. 10, 000 at a nominal interest
from the bank. The women who used to roll
bidis earlier are now moving forward in the
poultry business.
Once these groups were strengthened, a
federation named Ganga self help group
was formed. The women of this group
established a small production unit in the
village to produce and sell “chana sattu”
(chickpea flour) in neighbouring villages
along with the possibility of expanding it
to neighbouring states.
Apart from these initiatives, VHAI also
strived to make a difference in the lives
of the children of bidi rollers by providing
them an opportunity to learn computer
skills. In 2009, VHAI started a fundamental
6-month course on computer education
in collaboration with a local computer
education centre. The main objective was
to teach computer skills to the youth of
bidi rolling families and guide them to
build their career in this field. Within
six months the results were promising and
till date, many students have passed out
and got jobs in showrooms, government
departments, shops and shopping centres
as data assistants, operators, cashiers etc.
Realising the difference in their lives, these
students want to pursue further studies and
have vowed not to engage in bidi rolling
again.
By 2011, VHAI has formed more than 50
SHGs and more than 100 SHGs in that area
are supported and mentored by VHAI in
some way or the other.
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January - March & April - June 2012