Women empowerment through Self Help Groups-A case study of Barhampur Development Block in Nagaon District of Assam

Abstract

A self-help is a small, economically homogeneous and attractive group of 10-20 rural poor people which comes together to save small amounts regularly. It generally performs various types of economic activities with the help of their small savings. Women Self-help groups are informal association of women. The main purpose of such an association is to enable members to gain economic benefits out of mutual help, solidarity and social responsibility. Generally, the economic benefit includes mobilization of savings and credit facilities and to pursue group based economic activities. SHG approach is the group based approach, which helps the poor women members of each SHG to accumulate capital by way of small saving and helping them to get credit facilities from their funds. Presently, the poor women of the society are facing the financial problem to start business or to undertake different economic activities to become self-employed and self-reliant. The SHG can empower poor women by providing facilities like savings and credit in the economic development process of the society