At SHAPE INDIA, livelihood and women’s empowerment are seen as critical components for ensuring sustainable development. The emphasis is on enhancing the capacities of deprived communities to make informed decisions and manage their livelihood options accordingly. Self-Help Groups (SHGs) for women are important platforms for both income generation as well as increased engagement in various aspects (social and cultural) governing their lives. SHAPE INDIA’s livelihood initiatives are aimed at helping communities adopt viable and sustainable options to improve quality of life. These initiatives also focus on improving food security. Women constitute a key target group. Livelihood initiatives have acted as a precursor to a larger movement of empowering women.
Goal
To make the women of below poverty line self-reliant, increase their income, standard of living and uplift their status and bring entrepreneurial and business management skill among the underprivileged women of society.
Coverage
SHG women are provided with the necessary inputs and support to access loans to begin their own micro-enterprise. SHAPE INDIA has formed 47 Self Help Group in Delhi and NCR and all these SHGs are linked with the Bank. Out of 57 SHGs 27 SHGs are running the Community kitchen in the locality of South Delhi & North West Delhi. About 75,000 underprivileged beneficiaries including children, Pregnant Ladies & Lactating Mothers are given nutritious food every day by the SHGs itself.
Objectives
-To promote saving of money on regular basis and trained financial management skills among the women
– Developing and enhancing the decision-making capacity of members
– To improve living standards of underprivileged women
– To provide collateral free loans with terms decided by the group at the market driven rates.
-To reduce vulnerability to poverty in times of crises
– Enabling members of SHGs to become self-reliant and self-dependent
-Enhancing the social status of members by virtue of being members of the group
– Promoting literacy and increasing general awareness among members.
-To motivate women taking up social responsibilities particularly related to women development.
-It acts as the forum for members to provide space and support to each other
– To sensitize women of target area for the need of SHG and its relevance in their empowerment.
Outcome of the Programme.
– The beneficiaries including children, pregnant women and lactating mothers are benefited with the healthy and nutritious food
– The women are being empowered through micro-credit program and income generation activities.
– SHG ’s Members are able to interact with government functionaries, PRI members & other key stakeholders and also able to highlight issues that impact the lives of their communities.
