2001 Annual Report - Ford Foundation

These women demonstrating
against moneylenders in
Vadamadurai village in Tamil Nadu,
India are some of the 80,000
who have formed kalanjiams,or
community lending groups,
with support from the DHAN
Foundation (Development of
Humane Action). DHAN works with
the poorest of the poor, including
many illiterate and low-caste
women, and empowers them to
own and manage their own
financial institutions. So far
the kalanjiams have mobilized
$2.8 million in savings from
members and leveraged another
$3.6 million from state and
commercial banks.