1UPLIFTMENT OF RURAL SOCIO ECONOMIC

CONDITION OF WOMEN IN DANGS

Unity, Entrepreneurship and Empowerment

Project Initiative by Bipin BhattDirectorDRDA, DANGS, Gujarat

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Agenda Exploring local opportunities to

create a buoyant and self sufficientrural economy for women

Brick Production, an innovative ideausing local resources and cateringlocal consumption by dovetailingvarious schemes of ruraldevelopment

Leveraging on unemployed ruralwomenfolk resource and localworkforce previously employed asmigrant workers in SugarcaneCutting.

Creating Self Help groups (SakhiMandal) for sustainable andcontinuing entrepreneurship.

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The Journey Creating of SHG’s (Sakhi Mandals)

Mayadevi Sakhi Mandal and NirmalSakhi Mandal, Kakarda, Dist.Dangs

Motivating them to save petty amountevery month from their existinghousehold income.

Exploring local commercial activityopportunities.

Zeroing in on brick making activity byusing soil from the silted local checkdams.

Creation of potential market beforestarting the activity of brick making.

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The Journey

Convincing Shri. Somalbhai (Sarpanch ofBhenskatri) to use these bricks inpanchayat’s activities.

Presenting the loan case under SGSY

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The Journey

Members agree to work without wagestill approval and disbursement of theloan.

Minimum urgently required money wasraised from local population with means.

Hiring skilled labourers from Saurashtrato lead brick making teams of SHG’s.

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The Journey

Widening of SHG member base by employinglocal female labourers.

Sarpanch of Bhenskatri played a pivotal roleon raw material procurement and overallsupport.

Inquiries started pouring in from villagers likeIAY (Indira Awas Yojana) beneficiaries andfrom individuals.

Selling of bricks begins.

More Labourers deployed in BrickTransportation for construction acitivities.

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The Journey

Loan under SGSY approved and disbursedfor two SHG’s

Invitation to attend Bhenskatri SHG’s activityarea extended to 22 Sarpanchs’ of thedistrict.

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The Journey

The Model attracts media attention (Newscovered by Gujarat Mitra and TV9)

Honorable Minister Smt. Anandiben Patelappreciated the efforts in MahilaMahasammelan on 5-2-09.

The brick production continues as demand isgrowing

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The Journey

5 lacs bricks sold so far ……..

4 more SHG’s inspired by the concept,activity and success of the model andreplicated the same in their villages. ChetnaSakhi Mandal (Bhongdia), Sabribai SakhiMandal (Subir), Bhavana Sakhi Mandal(Khambla) and Narishakti Sakhi Mandal(Chirapada)

More SHG’s are likely to adopt the model

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The Improvement

Important: Local problems have localsolutions. The need is to enable ruraleconomy by lending a guiding hand andeffective dovetailing of various schemes

A simple step towards rural empowermenthas resulted in several short and long termbenefits:

Sustainable Employment

SHG’s Activated

Migrant Workers get locally employed(Better Quality of Life)

Dramatic fall in school dropout rate.

Constructions under IAY executed faster andat economical rate.

Check dams de-silted without any cost

Dovetailing of following Schemes:1. Sakhi Mandal Yojana (SHG)2. IAY3. SGSY4. TSC5. Watershed Development

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Our Life Now!!!!

Now we are moreOrganized.

We work in our ownvillage and earnmore money.

Our Children getsteady education.

We sing merrily!!!!

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Vote of Thanks by Suraben Somalbhai, President Mayadevi Sakhi Mandal

District Rural Development Agency Shri Somalbhai (Sarpanch Bhenskatri) SHG Members Our esteemed consumers Smt. Anandiben Patel (Honourable Minister for Women

and Child Development) Electronic and Print Media