SHGs empower women in northern Karnataka

Savadatti in Belgaum district of Karnataka is famous for the deity of Yallamma Temple. But, more than that it has earned a nationwide reputation for all the wrong reasons.

This is a place where unmarried women are baptised into `Devadasi' system wherein they enter into prostitution. For the villagers practising this system it has never appeared to be a sin. They do it as a religious ritual in the name of Goddess Yallamma.

Efforts by several NGO and the government to create awareness among the people on the falsehood of the practice and enforcement of laws to prevent it have yielded some results. But, this has not been able to eradicate the system. People still follow the ritual discreetly.

What those entering into the practice of Devadasi system needed was an alternate means of livelihood. The Malaprabha Grameena Bank, the regional rural bank for Dharwad, Belgaum, Gadag and Haveri districts has provided just what these people wanted. It has provided financial assistance to take up self employment.

The bank, which has been encouraging self-help groups (SHGs) has identified Sri Yallamma Devi Mahila Swasahaya Sangha at Ugaragol village in Savadatti taluk. The members of the sangha have been successful in wooing the Devadasi women into other professions like poultry farming, sheep rearing and small scale trade. The Kariyamma Devi Mahila Sangha in Savadatti has adopted Chulaki village. The sangha has taken agricultural land on rent and has started cultivation. The success of these groups is motivating others to follow suit.

The Malaprabha Grameena Bank is observing August as SHG linkage month. Chairman of the bank B S Surendra said that the bank has identified 8,000 SHGs and has disbursed a loan of Rs 19.73 crore to 5,347 SHGs. Those left out will be covered soon. The bank has an ambitious plan of each of its branch reaching out to 15 branches and covering 4,300 SHGs with financial assistance.

Surendra who bagged Nabard's first prize for SHG-bank linkage programme for the second successive year in 2005 said the scheme had helped 80,000 poor families. The programme launched by the bank draws special attention as it has helped cultivate banking habits among the families which never had access to any bank. Besides providing a livelihood, the self employment has developed saving habit among the beneficiaries.

While the other banks have been catering to the villagers above poverty line, the MG Bank?s SHG linkage programme has targeted those below the poverty line. The SHGs are voluntary groups formed by the villagers. The members meet once in a fortnight and pool their savings.

The fund accumulated is disbursed as loan with a very low rate of interest to the needy members. The assistance by the bank has strengthened the SHGs and they are able to provide mote funds to their members.

The members of SHGs have taken up several petty employments like laundry, eateries, cottage industries, carpentry, embroidery and pottery among others. The women have also stared home industries like preparing pickle, papad and other eatables. Those needing small amount of loan have found these SHGs very useful as the banks do not give less than Rs 9,000 and there are no cumbersome paper works.

Bank's public relation officer Ullas Gunaga said the SHGs have created social awareness among the women members. They are now taking up issues like making their village liquor-free and Gutkha and Tobacco-free.