Author(s): Dr. Wolfgang Salomo, G. Bhaskara Rao and N. Naveen Kumar
Article source: Deutsche Gesellschaft für, Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH, GIZ NABARD Rural Financial Institutions Programme
The Indian SHG movement has great potential to alleviate poverty and for empowering marginalised sections of the population, particularly women. Working on this study provided us with the unique opportunity to explore the SHG movement even deeper than we did before. We are convinced that the results, both of our learning-process as well as of our thorough analysis, have strong potential to support relevant stakeholders in taking appropriate action to increase effectiveness and safeguard sustainability of the SHG sector.
In the course of this study, several people supported us through their cooperation. On behalf of APMAS, ENABLE and DGRV, we would like to express our gratitude to GIZ – NABARD Rural Financial Institutions Programme for giving us this challenging assignment. We received extensive professional support from both of these organisations. Ms. Marie L. Haberberger, GIZ provided a number of supportive insights during the initial stages of the assignment. Mr. Ramakrishna from GIZ, who accompanied and provided valuable suggestions for the study right from the beginning, participated in several meetings as well as in the June 2012 workshop at Hyderabad.
Ms. Geetha Saraswathy, DGM-NABARD, coordinated all inputs by NABARD, facilitating the participation of NABARD representatives in state-level field missions; including her participation in the field mission to Uttar Pradesh (U.P.), in study-review meetings at APMAS and in the Hyderabad workshop. In addition, she contributed her own inputs towards some of the case studies. Mr. Pankaj from NABARD Regional Office (RO), Rajasthan; Mr. Partha, NABARD RO, West Bengal and Ms. Pushapa from NABARD RO, Tamil Nadu participated during field missions in the respective states. Mr. N. C. Bhowal, NABARD DDM, Jalpaiguri, West Bengal and Mr. Narayana, NABARD DDM, Tirunmalai, Tamil Nadu also participated in these field missions. Officials from NABARD helped with crucial translations from regional languages to English.
Member organisations of ENABLE such as SHGPF, CmF and GMO provided immense support to the study, helping to identify sample SHPAs and SHG federations in their respective states. Professional representatives like Mr. Sourav Roy and Ms. Latha from CmF, Mr. Vikas from SHGPF and Ms. Pushapa from GMO participated in the field missions and provided precise translations of the conversations between the study team and primary members.
The study immensely benefited from the inputs received during the workshop “Best practices in SHG federations”, specially organised to discuss the preliminary results of the study in June 2010 in Hyderabad. Representatives of almost all sample SHPAs and other participants provided us with very useful insights. The study incorporated inputs received from electronic discussions on UN Solution Exchange following our query. Dr. Navin Anand and Ms. Monika Khannawere were of immense help by posting the query, moderating the discussion and consolidating the feedback.
Within our own organisations, several colleagues provided both intellectual and logistical support. In DGRV, Mr. Paul Armbruster from the beginning provided valuable insight into the cooperative spirit and the experience of best cooperative practices. Ms. Nina Hildebrandt provided us both professional and logistical support and
Mr. Andreas Kappes contributed significantly to the study through advice and critical comments as well as by professionally reviewing the report.
In APMAS, Mr. C. S. Reddy provided supportat all stages of the study; from its conceptualisation until the finalisation of the report. Ms. Rama Lakshmi provided technical support for the usage of GRADES and the interpretation of the results obtained. Mr. Rajan, Ms. Monika, Ms.Rekha, Ms.Sudha, Mr.Basi Reddy and Mr.Srinivas provided logistical support. The APMAS field team at Anantapur, headed by Mr. C. Narayana Reddy, and other members of the Quality Assessment team supported the study team during its field work in Andhra Pradesh.
The field missions generated crucial inputs for the study. SHPAs of twelve sample federations provided excellent intellectual input and logistical support. We appreciate the support extended by Mr. Rajesh Singhvi and his colleagues at IBTADA, Ms. Zebul Nisha and her colleagues at Saheli Samithi, Mr. Sampath Kumar and his colleagues at RGMVP, Mr. Rakash Pandey and his colleagues at Sharamik Bharathi, Mr. Gopal Gosh and Ms. Madhuri Gosh and their colleagues at Bagnan Mahila Bikas, Mr. Rajesh Mishra and Ms. Malini and their colleagues at Centre for the
Development of Human Initiatives (CDHI), Mr. Vijay Kumar and Ms. Asha and their colleagues at Myrada, Chitradurga, Dr. Manjunath and his colleagues at Shri Ksehtra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project (R.) (SKDRDP), Mr. R. Ashok and his colleagues at Saryodaya Nano Financial Limited/ Maduranthakam Sarvodaya Mutual Benefit Trust (SNFL/ MSMBT), Fr. Antony Samy and his colleagues at Don Bosco, Mr. Surendra Reddy and his colleagues at Society for Elimination of Rural Poverty (SERP) – Ananta Maha Samakya, and Mr. Neelaiah and his colleagues at Ankuram Sangha Poram (ASP)/ Janantha Mutual Aided Cooperative Society (MACS).
Authentic and relevant information was collected from the interactions with primary stakeholders of 12 sample federations, 20 cluster/ village level federations and more than forty SHGs. The team also interacted with more than 10 bank managers. The team is grateful to Dr. D. Veerendra Heggade, Dharmadhikari of Dharmasthala and President of SKDRDP, who provided valuable insights and inspired the team through joint interactions.
Without the support of people from the SHG sector, the team would not have been able to fulfil its task. The contribution and support provided by everyone is greatly appreciated. We apologise if we have unintentionally overlooked someone’s name.