Tips for Field Worker s Vol 2 - Vanbandhu Kalyan Yojana

Funding of Cluster Association
The Cluster Association should start generating its resources
from the beginning. It may have following sources of funds:
Annual contribution from member SHGs;
Fees for the services provided to the members;
Commission on income generating activities; and
Interest charged on the loans provided to the member
SHGs.
SWA-SHAKTI
To summarise, FW can take following steps
Study the possibilities, informally consult the SHG members
and read as much literature on cluster formation as possible
and clear all your doubts before initiating the activity;
One month campaign with SHGs for need of clusters, role
and procedures;
Start joint training programmes and meetings of SHG
leaders from your area and see which leaders are strong
personalities, which leaders do not get along and what are
the problems of SHGs which are common;
Discuss the need of cluster formation with the leaders and
SHG members and try to prepare a blue print of possible
activities, possible rules and financial contribution which
would be expected from the members;
Call a meeting of all members of the SHGs and discuss the
complete proposal with them. Do not rush through or impose
your views. Patiently consider the opinion of the members
and then help them in selecting one member from each
group to further discuss these views. These members will
form a committee;
Help the committee members to take a decision on the need
of cluster, its membership, its roles and its rules;
Meanwhile organize a study visit of SHG leaders to a nearby
cluster and discuss the need for a cluster during every visit
to the SHGs;
Discuss the views of the Committee with every SHG during
the visits and once all SHGs come to some conclusion, help
them to implement these decisions;
Translation of networking book in Gujarati and Kannada; and
Development of SHG and field worker level pamphlets.
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