::Welcome to Shanti Ashram::

Women's Development Program
Women’s Development is one of the most important activities of the Ashram. In the earlier decades, the Ashram formed Mathar Sangams or Women Groups in the villages of Perur Block and provided them skill training for self-employment. The vision of the program is to reach out and to empower women, below the poverty line; socially and economically disadvantaged. The program aims to impact social empowerment, economic and skill development of rural women.

Program Overview

OBJECTIVES:

The objectives of Women’s Development program are:

1. Social Empowerment

2. Economic Empowerment

3. Skills Development

Topics Covered :

1. Mahalir Thittam

Objectives.
Mission of SHGs.
Formation of Self Help Groups.
Savings, Training, Vocational Training.
Credit Rating, credit Linkage.
Special Activities.

2. Public Distribution Centers
CELEBARATION OF WOMEN’S DAY
3. E.D.P. Training

1. Mahalir Thittam ^top

The vision of Mahalir Thittam is to reach out and to empower women, especially below the poverty line; socially and economically disadvantaged and belonging to socially marginalized caste and communities. Women development aims for social empowerment, economic empowerment and skill development of rural women.

A. Objectives ^top

1. Equal standing, participation and creation of power for decision making amongst women in the family, community and village level.

2. Helping to overcome social, cultural and religious barriers to achieve equal status for women in their day-to-day activities and on issues concerning them.

3.Increased visibility, participation and decision making in democratic institutions.

B. Mission of SHGs ^top

The mission of SHGs can be summarized as given below:

Let us…

+   Add our strengths

-   Subtract our differences

X   Multiply our resources

/   Divide our Responsibilities

C. Formation of Self Help Groups ^top

Shanti Ashram collaborated with Tamil Nadu Women Development Corporation and started implementing the Mahalir Thittam program in Perur and Madukkarai blocks since 2000. The program starts with the formation of Self Help Groups in the villages.

The number of Self Help Groups formed by Ashram is given below:

S. No.	Year	No of SHGs formed	Functioning SHG as of Mar 06

1.	2000	29	20

2.	2001	69	62

3.	2002	25	13

4.	2003	86	83

5.	2004	49	49

	2005-2006	189	189

	Total	447	416

D. Savings: ^top

One of the main aims of the Mahalir Thittam is to promote savings among the rural women. After formation of the Self Help Groups, they meet and decide the amount of money to be saved every month and this is done regularly. Each member has to save a minimum of Rs.10/- per week. The quantum of savings collected annually is given below:

S. No.	Year	Savings (Rs)

1.	Up to March 2004-05	43,49,678

2.	During 2005-06	36,60,886

	Total	80,10,564

E. Training ^top

Self Help Group is basically a human resource development program and hence top priority is given for training the members of the Self Help Groups. SHG Members training, A&R Training, Entrepreneurial development program and skill training are given to the members of the SHGs/Animators. The number of training given and the members benefited are furnished below:

S. No.	Name of Training	No. Attended

1.	SHG members Training	2943

2.	A&R Training	124

3.	Entrepreneurial Development Program	361

4.	Skill Training	65

F. Vocational Training ^top

During the year under report two batches of computer training, two batches of tailoring and one batch of Health and Beauty, each for six months duration were conducted. A total of 27 SHG members benefited from these courses.

G. Credit Rating ^top

Credit rating is a process of evaluation of the Self Help Groups for selecting the groups for credit linkage with financial institutions. This is done by a team representing the women Development Program, NGO and the commercial bank with the help of a predetermined indicator. Of the 258 Self Help Groups formed so far 168 groups were credit-rated. During the year under report 43 groups were credit rated.

H. Credit Linkage ^top

To make credit linkage with the financial institutions, the process of evaluation of the working of self-groups is made through credit rating. Of the 258 groups framed by the Ashram, 163 groups were credit rated and passed for credit linkage. The Self Help Groups were provided credit linkage by the financial institutions, through various schemes, to the extent of Rs. 39.09 lakhs, as given below:

S. No.	Scheme	Amount in Rs

1.	NABARD	19,20,000

2.	THADO (RF)	3,60,000

	Total	22,80,000

With the financial assistance from the commercial banks the groups have now taken up economic activities both by groups and as individual members. Some of the economic activities of the Groups include:

1. Ready-made garments

2. Hollow Block manufacturing

3. Grocery shops running

4. Small Business

5. Public Distribution Centers

6. Food Processing

The Self Help groups, apart from their own up-liftment, are also involved in the social development activities of the villages. The groups are regularly organizing functions like Independence Day, Republic Day, Mahalir Mela, Medical camps etc., in the villages for the benefit of the needy. They also provide notebooks and uniform to the needy children and furniture for schools.

I. Special Activities: ^top

1. Panchayat level Federation: Panchayat Level Federations were formed to monitor and help the Self Help groups for efficient functioning of the Groups. This is necessary for the sustainability of the groups, since the Government project support comes to an end in 2007 (March). So far a total number of 10 Federations have been formed, the details of which are given hereunder:

Name of Panchayat Level Federation	No of SHGs	Date of Formation	A/c No.

Kurichi Panchayat-Level Federation(A)	30	9 Apr 02	111799
Perur Panchayat-Level Federation	27	14 Aug 02	1044
Kurichi Panchayat-Level Federation(B)	43	1 Oct 02	14823
Kuniamuthur Panchayat-Level Federation(A)	54	28 Aug 02	5388
Kuniamuthur Panchayat-Level Federation(B)	48	19 Sep 02	24686
T.M. Palayam Panchayat-Level Federation(A)	12	23 Sep 02	3951
Vedapatti Panchayat Level Federation	21	22 Jun 03	20133
Valukkuparai Panchayat Level Federation	5	9 Jan 03	58
Pichanoor Panchayat Level Federation	4	11 Jan 03	799

2. Public Distribution Centers: ^top

During the course of the year the District Administration allotted 2 more Public Distribution Centers to be run by the SHGs of the Ashram. A total of seven Public Distribution Centers in different villages are currently run by the Self Help Groups.. The details of these centers are:

Name of Group	Shop Number	No of families covered

Talamboo, Edayarpalayam	102	750

Shanti, Ganeshapuram	104	560

Annai Sathya, Kuniamuthur	101	950

Vennila, Kuniamuthur	106	624

Ellamman,Kuniamuthur	108	653

Seventhi,Kuniamuthur	109	615

Kurinchi Malar,Kaliyapuram	107	250

Val arum, Aathupalam	112	450

All these Public distribution centers are running efficiently and the local people have been appreciative of the efficiency and the reach to essential food items.

3. Old Age Pension: 35 Villagers received old age pension during 2004-05 thanks to the effective intervention of SHGs.

4. Ration Card: 30 families received ration cards for purchase of items through public distribution system with the active involvement of SHGs.

5. Gas Connection: Under the free gas connection to daughters of SHG members who get married, 10 newly married couples of SHG members received gas connections during 2004-05.

6. Community Certificate: 250 members received community certificates during the course of the financial year 2004-05 with the help of SHG members.

7. Distribution of Free Tailoring Machines: Two tailoring machines were distributed to widows for finding useful employment through the intervention of SHGs from the Social Welfare Department of the State.

8. Voter ID : 400 members received the voter ID by the help of Kurichi Federation.

9. Free Books And Note Books: 200 Children were given free books and note books.

10. Birth Certificate for No mantic Children: Nearly 10 Children were provided birth certificate and admitted in the primary school at Kamaraj Nagar, Kurichi.

11. Financial Assistance to Widows: 4 members received Financial Assistance from the Social Welfare Department.

12. Assistance to Death Ceremony: A sum of rupees 1,500 provided to the death ceremony of orphan lady by the members of Punnakai Pookal SHG of Kurichi.

1. CELEBARATION OF WOMEN’S DAY ^top

Shanti Ashram organized Mahalir Mela to celebrate International Women’s Day in collaboration with Canara Bank, Madukkarai on 8th March 2006 at Kulathupalayam Chinnasamy Kalyana Mandapam. About 500 SHG leaders from Perur and Madukkarai blocks enthusiastically participated. Mrs. Minoti Aram, President, Shanti Ashram, presided over the celebration. She said that women must have a sense of unity and solidarity, and involve themselves in the developmental activities. She also suggested that they must establish a library so that children can inculcate reading habits, which will improve their knowledge. It is the duty of every SHG leader that they must watch and help the local schools and nutrition centers for their smooth functioning.

Dr. Thangamani, Professor of Extension Education, Avinashilingam Deemed University, in her chief guest address asked the women members present to engage in meaningful social empowerment programmes. In doing so, she stressed that prayer is very essential and important for all human beings, and faith must be the cornerstone of our work. She also said that, we must be ready to share with others, what we have. She made an appeal to every member that they should involve themselves in income generation activities and to take initiatives to increase and improve the production. While finishing her motivating speech, she said “You must educate your children through earnings made from the income generation initiatives.”

Thiru. S. Solai, Senior Manager, Canara Bank, in his special address said that every member should come forward to take up the income generation activity for to that Canara Bank is organizing a vocational training for the benefit of SHG members at P.N. Palayam. He requested SHG members to make use of these training opportunities. Then he handed over sponsorship contribution to the president, of Shanti Ashram.

Thiru. M.P. Rohini, M.L.A., of Perur consistency, appreciated the initiatives of Shanti Ashram. He also pointed out, under the proper guidance of the Ashram now all SHG members are well aware of various schemes of both the governmental and non governmental agencies and also he mentioned that he could not forget the heart felt contribution made by every self help group for the victims of Tsunami. He assured that he is ready to help the self help groups at any time.

Thiru. S. Paneerselvam, Programme Co-coordinator, in his welcome speech mentioned about the achievements made by the self help groups during the year 2005 & 06. He also presented some areas for potential future action of self help groups in Perur and Madukkarai blocks.

The Annual Mahalir Mela is an important event in the calendar of Shanti Ashram. It allows us to pause and review along with all the stakeholders engaged in women’s development in Perur and Madukkarai in particular, and Coimbatore in general. It also allows for collective thinking on the direction of the work, building on the initial success of the programme including savings, internal rotation, credit rating and financial linkages and explore new avenues for women’s empowerment.

3. E.D.P. Training ^top

Shanti Ashram, in collaboration with Mahalir Thittam, THADCO and District Industrial Centre, Coimbatore, organized the entrepreneurship-training program for the benefit of our SHG members. Eight batches were covered under the DIC, four batches under Mahalir Thittam and one under THADCO. This training includes introduction to resources for livelihood generation.

	Program Areas

	Bala Shanti Program

	Community Health

	Environmental Restoration

	Panchayat Raj Research & Training

	Peace Education & Interfaith Collaboration

	Poverty Alleviation

	Women's Development Program

	Youth Leadership

2. Public Distribution Centers CELEBARATION OF WOMEN’S DAY 3. E.D.P. Training

2. Public Distribution Centers
CELEBARATION OF WOMEN’S DAY
3. E.D.P. Training