SISTERS

AID
AREA OF IMPLEMENTATION
Shikharbali I Gram Panchayat, Baruipur Block, South 24 Parganas
District, West Bengal, India

REPORTING PERIOD
APRIL 2015 SPETEMBER 2015
SUPPORTED BY:

YOGA GIVES BACK

IMPLEMENTED BY:

NISHTHA, Baruipur

AIM
Ensuring socio-economic empowerment of women and girls of Shikharbali I Gram
panchayat of Baruipur Block of South 24 Parganas district, West Bengal.

BASIC ANALYSIS
This was a new phase. During this new phase we have formed 7 new groups with 77 new
members. The information about member wise loan provided, loan paid, outstanding loan,
average monthly income, number of loan cycle, occupation, activities and basic outcomes as
attached as annexure with this report.
The major highlights of are:

The project has benefitted 285 women participants and their daughters.

The average loan per member is Rs. 1631. Presently, 91.18 % of the loan extended is
paid back while the rest is outstanding.

The average size of loan is Rs. 2193.

The year wise average monthly income of the members is below mentioned which clearly
show

the

steep
increase in
the
monthly
income
all

of
the

members
from

Rs.

539

per

month
Rs.

to
1027

per month
i.e. there is 90.53% increase in the av. Income during last four years, which we feel as a
great success of this program and induced a great impact in the lives of the members.

IMPORTANT STARTEGY UNDERTAKEN

During this year, the area suffered from untimely rain which destroyed all the agricultural
production. As the area is predominantly dependent on agriculture be it in own land and / or
as agriculture labour, the financial situation was quite bad.
We had to take a hard decision during this period. Considering the situation of the household,
it was quite clear that if we provide loan to the members during this period then the amount
will be used for consumption purpose (not on income generation purpose). The members
either under the pressure of husband or out of love & care, will not be in condition to invest
in income generation activities.
We also had earlier experience in the past, where due to flash flood, the area was in quite
bad situation. That time when the loans were provided, all the money was invested for
consumption and house repair purpose. None of them invested in income generating
purpose and were not even able to return the loan taken. It took nearly 4-5 years for most of
them to return the loan.
So, we took a decision which was quite hard for us i.e. not to provide any loan during this
period. The household somehow managed to arrange money be it from neighbours, relatives
or other places or selling something.
We have taken a decision to provide the loan only after they have already engaged in another
cultivation season during winter. Then the members will be in better condition (financially &
emotionally) to use the opportunity provided to them for income generation activities and
come out of phenomenon of poverty.

Story of Reboti Pal

Group Name- Shakti Mantra
Address- Shikarbali Village, Shikarbali I G.P., Baruipur Block, South 24 Parganas
Reboti lives in a small house in Sikharbali Village with her daughter. When she was 19 years old
and her daughter Debika was 6 months old & is physically challenged (problem in leg), her
husband died. Any girl who becomes widow at young age are hugely discriminated and socially
excluded. The society blames her for the death of her husband and says that its because of
her bad effect that her husband dies.
The case of Reboti was not any different. She had to face harsh behavior from in-laws and their
neighbors. She was thrown out of her in-laws house. The condition of her parental house was
very bad also. She started living in the outer periphery of her parental house with her physically
challenged daughter.

Reboti is a daughter of earthen-pot maker. She has acquired little skill during her childhood
only. She started working as labour for pottery maker but
the labour wages were quite less. It was not enough for
ensuring two square meals for the mother and daughter.
Somehow they survived for last 8-9 years.
When the Shakti Montra group was formed, other
members of the group who knew her condition and was
little empathetic towards her invited her to join the group.
All the years of social exclusion and poverty, made her
very less confident.
She was quite afraid to start her own work. The leader of the group and other members helped
her to continue business. They used to help her in
calculation and raw materials ensuring. Gradually
she was gaining confidence. She used the loan to
purchase special mud used for making the pot. The
mud comes in a lorry and she established a linkage

with them. Also, for burning (baking) the raw

clay pots she requires fuel. She used the
money to purchase fuel. Then she sells after
counting to businessman.
She is no more a labour now. She is incurring
good profit and now the mother & daughter
have money food, education & clothing, however she aspires for having a better house which
she is planning to construct after savings for 3-4 years.