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It’s Monday evening and 11 women are gathered for their weekly Self Help Group (SHG) meeting. For some it has already been a long day, indicated by the wrinkled lines of exhaustion are etched across their faces. But, as each woman gives her introduction the wrinkles are pushed away as her face lights up with a bright smile. It is with pride that each one states her position as a “member” of the group.

Yes, participation in a SHG is a big commitment. The weekly meetings are in addition to the responsibilities of running a household and caring for a family. It “ties you up” says Julina Marwein, SHG member, “But I understand the benefits of it and that is what makes it worth the time and energy spent.” In coming together group members grow in their capacity and gain access to vital resources and institutions. Through saving together this group has been able to open a savings account with the bank. Perhaps the greatest benefits are the less tangible ones: the resources of community and support. The benefits of membership go beyond financial security. Participation in the group fosters a support system and builds unity among members. Julina shared: “Each of us has our own personal and family problems, problems that we won’t share with just anyone, but in the group we are like family. We can share our burdens with each other.”

Not only do they share the burdens of the group, the Myntoilang SHG has also begun to look outwards to address the needs of their locality. Seeing the needs in their locality the members of the Myntoilang SHG felt like they could do something about it. Myntoilang means “coming together brings benefit” and this is exactly what the members of the group are demonstrating to their locality. After determining that a lack of awareness and lack of access to government health programs was a contributing factor in the poor health of women and children in their locality, the leaders of the women’s group approached the Social Welfare Department to apply for the Integrated Child Development Scheme (ICDS). ICDS is a program to provide nutritious food to the poor to improve their health. The group is now distributing nutritious food on a daily basis to children below the age of 6 and to pre and post natal mothers.

Currently the program has supported 213 children and 36 pre and post natal mothers in the community. The SHG has plans to expand the program to other localities in the area in order to reach more people. Through this program the number of malnourished children in the community has been reduced and pre and post natal mothers have been supported. Because 11 women have decided to come together the benefits are being shared by all.

In the Pynthorumkhrah district of Shillong, India, garbage is scattered throughout the streets and alleyways. There is no disposal system in place and as a result plastic bags and trash are thrown throughout the neighborhood. This causes problems as the garbage, particularly the plastic bags, clog drainage pipes and causes flooding in sections of the community. However, there is a group of women who are doing something about it. The women of the Myntoilang Self Help Group (SHG) are actively working to transform their community.

The group has organized monthly cleaning drives in which they spend one day cleaning up the neighborhood by picking up garbage that has collected in the streets. And the community has noticed their efforts. When describing the response of the community members the women burst into laughter as they recalled how their neighbors, while not yet taking the initiative to join their efforts, are eager to offer advice by pointing out where the garbage is for them to pick up! They are quick to point out if they have missed any “spots.” Putting humor aside, the women shared how many community members will offer them cups of tea at the end of the cleaning drive day to demonstrate their appreciation for the work of the SHG in the neighborhood. Additionally, the Village Council has hired people to work with them on the cleaning drive days. 

Yet the women of the Myntoilang SHG are not content to stop there. They are also working to prevent the problem from happening in the first place. Recognizing the problems that plastic bags cause the women want to provide an alternative to plastic through the production and sale of paper bags. On their own initiative the women approached the MLA of their constituency with their proposal. The MLA agreed to donate the materials for making the paper bags. Next, the SHG found a market for the bags. Their products are in high demand. The women meet three evenings per week to construct the bags in addition to their weekly group meeting. This effort brings in revenue for the SHG and will hopefully decrease the use and littering of plastic bags in the community.

When asked if they ever imagined that they would be change agents in their community the women adamantly shook their heads to indicate no. One woman shared: “it is only in coming together as a group that we are able to do these things.”

Rupees & Community

The sounds of laughter cascade down the steps in greeting as one climbs up the stairs to the front door. It is dark so one must watch the steps while climbing uneven stairs but the light streaming from the house provides a warm welcome. Outside the entrance is an assortment of sandals that have been taken off and left on the porch outside the door.

Inside the room 9 women are seated and the laughter and energy of their vibrant conversations is contagious. The week prior marked the one year anniversary of the formation of the Kyntiewshathrang Self Help Group. Kyntiewshathrang means “benefit together” and that is what these women have discovered, in coming together they are benefiting together. Through participating in the Kyntiewshathrang SHG over the past year each woman has been able to save a total of Rs. 1,000 bringing the total group savings to a total of Rs. 9,000. During this particular meeting a resolution was passed that allowed for each woman to now be eligible for an internal loan of up to Rs. 2,000.

One woman described what this meant to her: “Before, 5 rupees meant nothing. It was here today and gone tomorrow but through the SHG’s I understand how it can be used for savings.” And now that the women understand the power of saving together they are passing this challenge along to their friends and family.

The benefits of membership in a SHG are not only financial. The bursts of laughter that erupted throughout the meeting are evidence of the closeness and community that has grown between group members. The women shared how before joining the group they knew each other but now they feel connected to one another. As they share their problems they are able to give advice, visit, and offer support. The group members shared that while they may not be able to do much, they can offer their presence to one another. The group unity provides strength and support to the members. The members look forward to their meetings and make an effort to arrive on time. “I feel happy when I go to the meeting” shared one member.

When asked what support was available before joining the SHG the women shook their heads to indicate that before there was nothing. Most of the families are supported by the wages of the husbands who are working as daily laborers and are not guaranteed a consistent source of income. Due to their lack of savings they were unable to apply for bank loans and the only options available to them were mortgages or moneylenders with exorbitant interest rates. “But what did we have to mortgage?” said one woman describing the difficulties of getting financial help before joining the SHG. Since joining the SHG these women now have the option of internal loans through the SHG. These loans are used to pay school fees for children, to buy seeds for kitchen gardens and for financial emergencies. And through the SHG the benefits of coming together are being passed along to the next generation as children are able to attend school and gain an education. They are also being taught about the principles of saving. They are learning to see the potential of 5 rupees and the value of coming together as a community.

When asked how much their weekly savings contributions are the president of the Iakyrsoilang SHG proudly answered “30 Rupees. If the women’s group can save 20-25 rupees a week why can’t we do 30?!” The Iakyrsoilang SHG is a new group formed only 3 months ago. Yet in this short time the members were amazed to learn they had each already saved Rs. 300. One man described how as day laborers the money that they earned in a day was spent in the same day. Because of the sporadic nature of their work and wages any money earned was spent immediately. One man shared: “Before, if I had Rs. 300 I would only have it today; tomorrow it would be gone.” But through the SHG he has learned about the concept of savings. He compared his weekly savings to the saying: “Together, tiny drops of water make up a mighty ocean.” The men of the Iakyrsoilang SHG are filled with hope for the future, some shared dreams of owning their own business and no longer living from “hand to mouth.”

Joining the SHG makes the men feel secure. Before they always felt insecure as they would not be able to pay for expenses such as school fees and medical expenses in times of sickness without borrowing from relatives or moneylenders. They also feel responsible for the group and take their membership seriously. As day laborers, one of the obstacles to forming a group was the long hours they work. Through the encouragement of the women in another SHG they formed a group. Since joining Iakyrsoilang they feel ownership within the group and make sure they are finished with their work in time for the meetings. One man explained: “I know that if I am absent, it is my loss.” The men enjoy coming together to sit and talk about how to improve their lives, how to work together, and how to help their families.They explained: “Before, we never sat together like this.” While they are still a developing group, the members hope to see the unity they experience spreading throughout the community. They want to be an example in their neighborhood and to encourage others to form SHGs.

Trying is Believing

The women of the Mahila Self Help Group (SHG) have hit the ground running. They are eager to make a difference in the lives of their family members and eventually, the lives of the members of their community. Mahila formed this past May and they are already embarking on their first Income Generating Activity as a group: they are making steel wool dish scrubbers to be sold in the market. As this is their first economic venture together the meeting was spent calculating the costs of purchasing the wool, the bags for packaging and the time it took to make the products.

Together the group is learning the ropes of running their own business and working together. The group understands that their success depends on one another. When it comes time to apply for a group bank loan the loan officer will inspect their meeting and savings registers and look at attendance records to see how faithfully members have attended meetings. It is a risk for the bank to offer a loan to an unreliable group. As a result the group must demonstrate their commitment to the group.

When many of their friends and neighbors are sceptical of joining a SHG (because of a history of swindlers and get rich quick schemes in the community), these women are choosing to believe. In what? In each other. “Alone, I cannot do anything” said one member “But with the group we can do anything. Or at least we should try!” And trying they are. The steel wool is not their only business idea. Two of the members will also be attending a candle making training session with the hope of then training the remaining group members in their new skill. All of this is happening before the group has even reached its 6 month mark.