For the past two days Ronna and I have visited a CWR program in Gujarat State in India among tribal people in the forests. After landing at Mumbai airport, we drove for nearly eight hours to the beautiful mountains and forests where the tribal people are living. Traditionally these people have been able to survive from the resources in the forests, but in recent years the Indian Department of Forestry has greatly restricted their use of the forest products.\u00a0 Most of the people, both men and women, have been forced to work as agricultural day laborers, field workers. The daily wage is about 90 cents.\u00a0 Unfortunately they are only able to work about 15 days a month.<\/p>\n
This is the third year of the CWR program implemented by the Hindustani Covenant Church.\u00a0 The approach of HCC is always comprehensive. The various components of the project include day care for pre-school age children, education, micro finance, vocational training, medical care, and women\u2019s and men\u2019s self help groups (SHGs).
\nEach member of the SHGs has their own personal savings pass book and each saves between 40 \u2013 60 cents per month.\u00a0 Most have been saving for three years. We asked the women how their lives have been affected by participation in the self-help groups. One women responded, \u201cI now have enough funds for the happy and sad times\u201d, meaning she was had sufficient funds to cover celebrations like weddings and funerals. Another said, \u201cBefore I had no say in family matters, but now my husband respects me more and I participate with him in decision making.\u201d Because of the group savings, the women are able take out small loans when needed at low interest. Some have received loans for micro businesses like flower ornament making, vegetable sales, and basket making.<\/p>\n
All of this was greatly encouraging for me to see hear, but what impressed me most was that the women said that one of the great benefits of the SHG\u2019s is that now they are able to help others in need. Each SHG looks for at least three families in need that they can help.\u00a0 These women are being empowered to improve their own lives and the lives of their families, but ultimately they see their empowerment as a means of empowering others.\u00a0 Beautiful.<\/p>\n