Members Of Self-help Groups Research Articles

Impact of Self-Help Group Formation on Social Indicators of Sustainability

Vegetable production has emerged as an important source of farm income from small farms in hilly states like Himachal Pradesh in India. Various researchers have studied agricultural sustainability taking into consideration three dimensions i.e. economic, environmental and social. Keeping in view the importance of the social sustainability which measures extent of social capability of farming system, present study was conducted in Himachal Pradesh to find out the ways to strengthen farm sustainability. Farm sustainability of self-help group member farmers and non-member farmers was studied and compared. Study revealed that the social sustainability of vegetable growers who were members of self-help groups was significantly higher when compared to non-member farmers.

Effect of health intervention integration within women's self-help groups on collectivization and healthy practices around reproductive, maternal, neonatal and child health in rural India.

BackgroundThis study evaluates an eight-session behavior change health intervention with women’s self-help groups (SHGs) aimed to promote healthy maternal and newborn practices among the more socially and economically marginalized groups.MethodsUsing a pre-post quasi-experimental design, a total of 545 SHGs were divided into two groups: a control group, which received the usual microcredit intervention; and an intervention group, which received additional participatory training around maternal, neonatal, and child health issues. Women members of SHGs who had a live birth in the 12 months preceding the survey were surveyed on demographics, practices around maternal, neonatal and child health (MNCH), and collectivization. Outcome effects were assessed using difference-in-difference (DID) methods.ResultsWomen from the SHGs with health intervention, relative to controls over time (time 1 to time 2), were more likely to: use contraceptive methods (DID: 9 percentage points [pp], p<0.001), have institutional delivery (DID: 9pp, p<0.05), practice skin-to-skin care (DID: 17pp, p<0.05), delay bathing for 3 or more days (DID: 19pp, p<0.001), initiate timely breastfeeding (DID: 21pp, p<0.001), exclusively breastfeed the child (DID: 27pp, p<0.001), and provide age-appropriate immunization (DID: 9pp, p<0.001). Additionally, women from the SHGs with health intervention when compared to the control group over time were more likely to report: collective efficacy (DID: 17pp, p<0.001), support through accompanying SHG members for antenatal care (DID: 8pp, p<0.05), receive a visit from SHG member within 2 days post-delivery (DID: 32pp, p<0.001), and receive reproductive, maternal, neonatal and child health information from an SHG member (DID: 45pp, p<0.001).ConclusionFindings demonstrate that structured participatory communication on MNCH with women’s groups improve positive health practices. In addition, SHGs can reach a substantial proportion of women while providing an avenue for pregnant women and young mothers to be assisted by others in learning and practicing healthy behaviors, thus building social cohesion on health.

Generating Self-Employment Opportunities in North-East India: Challenges Faced by the Self-Help Groups

The Government has put in place policies and programmes to alleviate urban poverty. Urban Local Bodies (ULBs) are the facilitators to reduce poverty in their respective areas. Urban Self-Help Groups (SHGs) aim at sustainable employment for their members. But they face many challenges during their day-to-day activities. The present study aims at identifying the issues, challenges or problems faced by SHGs in the urban areas of the State of Tripura. It relates to urban areas of Tripura, a small hilly state in the North-East India, for which 14 ULBs out of 20 have been selected from all the eight districts. Based on a sample size of 353 SHGs, the study shows that women SHG members have to face internal or organizational challenges and external ones in running SHGs having a cascading effect to their income level, which is not sufficient enough to cross the poverty line sustainably. The paper has also recommended certain solutions to the problems.

Relationship between Extension Worker Availability and Self-help Groups (SHG) Member Empowerment: Does Gender Moderate the Relationship?

Relationship between Extension Worker Availability and Self-help Groups (SHG) Member Empowerment: Does Gender Moderate the Relationship?

Influence of Youth Self-Help Group Members Skills on Group Performance in Aldai Constituency, Nandi County, Kenya.

The study focused on the effects of acquired skills through education and training on the performance of youth Self-Help Groups (SHG). A multi stage sampling was used to get a sample of 136 youth SHG members who participated in the study from the 56 youth groups that were sampled out. Other key informants were also interviewed. Structured questionnaires and interviews were used in collecting data, which was analysed using appropriate descriptive techniques. The study results revealed that there were no positive relationship between the the level of education and the performance of youth SHGs. It was found that inadequate skills, ignorance and limited finances were some of the challenges affecting youth SHGs. The study recommends a follow up and involvement of local leaders and experts on the implementation of youth programmes.

Role of SHG in Women Empowerment and Poverty Alleviation - A Case Study

The scheme of micro-financing through Self-Help Groups (SHGs) creates empowerment yielding situations for women to move from the state of marginalization to that of utmost importance for them in all the family and other social decisions. This study highlights the crucial role of SHGs in alleviating poverty among women in Karamadai block of Coimbatore district. The study revealed that the women members of SHGs have significantly gained psychologically, socially and economically that has led to their empowerment.

ASSOCIATION BETWEEN SOCIO VARIABLES (RELIGION, COMMUNITY AND NATURE OF RESIDENCE) AND THEIR SATISFACTION AND PROBLEM TOWARDS SELF HELP GROUPS

Empowerment is a multi-dimensional social process that helps people gain control over their own lives communities and in their society, by acting on issues that they define as important1 . Empowerment occurs within sociological, psychological economic spheres and at various levels, such as individual, group and community. Empowering women puts the spotlight on education and employment which are an essential element to sustainable development. One of the powerful approaches to women empowerment and entrepreneurship is the formation of Self Help Groups (SHGs) especially among women’s SHG is conceived as a sustainable people’s institution that provides the poor women with space and support necessary for them to take effective steps towards achieving greater control of their lives2 . Women played various managerial and non-managerial roles in the decision making process. Women constitute one- half of the segments of population in India and women are vital and productive workers in Indi’s national economy. Hence an attempt is made to analyse whether empowerment leads to satisfaction of SHG members

Women Empowerment Through Self-Help Groups: The Bittersweet Fruits of Collective Apple Cultivation in Highland Ethiopia

This paper deals with the impact of self-help groups (SHGs) in apple production on empowering women in the Chencha district of Southern Ethiopia. Impact is traced on the basis of a cross-sectional survey among SHG members and nonmembers, using propensity score matching. Apart from the attitudinal changes among SHG and non-SHG women, we also scrutinize differences in male attitudes concerning the status of women. The results point towards positive and significant impacts of SHG participation on empowerment at the community level, which suggests that SHGs offer an effective space for women to share information and raise awareness about their rights. This could in turn be harnessed collectively to negotiate more “room to maneuver” in the community. At the same time, however, the data hint at negative effects from group participation at the household level. The attitudinal differences between treatment and control group indicate more conflictive relations between spouses, arguably due to an intensified fight to assert control over household resources. Hence, the evidence is consistent with a potential “backlash effect” from husbands.

Factors Affecting Savings of Women Lead Households in Self Help Groups: The Case Study on Wolaita Sodo Town

Self Help Group (SHG) is mainly considered as mutual assistance group through which individuals undertake common activities to improve their own lives. It is an approach in which women are organized in groups of 15-20 members by affinity basis. This research was aimed to assess the factors affecting savings of women-led households in self-help groups. Multistage sampling technique was deployed in the study. From 1800 registered SHG members, the sample size of 252 samples identified through simple random sampling technique. Household survey and in-depth interview were conducted and data captured using structured questionnaire. Both primary and secondary data were used for analysis. Quantitative data collected were analyzed using SPSS 21 version and presented the mean, percentage, chi-square, T-value and binary logit model output according to research objectives. Descriptive statistics was computed followed by binary logit model that revealed: education level of SHGs members, family size, social participation, number of trainings received, members' perception, and annual income and participation in generating activities (IGAs) found to be significant. According to paired sample T-test result saving improvement between two consecutive years was not as such satisfactory. The final recommendations forwarded were: due consideration should be given to reduce SHGs members' social ceremonies celebrations, promoting family planning program, focusing on functional adult literacy, envision groups, tailored training of members and IGAs promotion by both government and other organizations working on SHGs development as they had either positive or negative influence on WLHHS saving improvement.

Digital Green: Leveraging Local Knowledge and Talent for Video-Based Information Dissemination

Digital Green is a prime example of a development intervention aimed not only at the poor but “by the poor”, as a content or knowledge disseminator to rural users The case is written in the form of multiple scenes that unfold organically to paint a bigger picture of what the organization does and the different players and groups that take part to make this intervention a success. The reader is exposed to different view-point and actions taken by various stakeholders: the Village Resource Person from the local government organization, the self-help group member who features in the video and the Assistant Program Manager (APM) for Digital Green. This case can be used in courses that teach ‘Development and ICT’ and generic courses in BOP development that want to highlight issues related to scalability of an intervention, local relevance and buy in (adoptability), and understanding ground realities.

RETHINKING WOMEN'S PARTICIPATION: A MICRO ANALYSIS

The present studyfocus light on political influence on self-help groups, members religious relationship information sharing among the members of self-help groups. Involvement of women members in deciding the rules of functioning of the SHGs enlighten on the process of women empowerment. Decisions regarding formation of rules of SHGs are a process, which stimulate women to select among the various alternatives available for functioning of SHGs. All the SHGs women members of BPL and APL were unanimously agreed their involvement in deciding the rules of functioning of the SHGs. It indicates the women involvement in the decision making process. SHGs provide a platform to women to discuss on various aspects of social issues. Apart from the financial issues, members of SHGs in selected area agreed their involvement in discussion on social issues.The members of selected SHGs belonging to BPL and APL agreed the groups in SHG. The groups concerned to relationship of members of SHGs, Caste, literate and illiterate and politics. Every member is interested in acquiring a new knowledge concerned in the field of education, finance, administration, production, marketing, distribution of goods and services. SHG assists to the concerned members to acquire the new knowledge in various fields which enhance the economic, social, political empowerment of women. The members of the selected SHGs concerned to BPL and APL category agreed that the SHGs assists them to acquire a new knowledge in the field of production, marketing, finance, social and political field. In indicate the women’s empowerment in various fields.

Microfinance for the marginalized: the impact of the Rojiroti approach in India

The Rojiroti approach to microfinance involves creation of women’s self-help groups (SHGs), rotated loans from savings, and subsequent credit from CPSL, a Bihar-based NGO. Rojiroti serves customers who are significantly poorer and more marginalized than those typically served by microfinance (MF) in India. In the data analysed, more than 90 per cent of members are from scheduled caste and tribes (62 per cent) or other disadvantaged castes. This paper analyses the impact of Rojiroti MF using panel data on 740 new SHG members and 340 women in matched control sites at baseline and after 18 months. We consider changes in assets, children’s education, empowerment, and domestic violence among other indicators. These results show significant gains for Rojiroti borrowers relative to control sites for important, but not all, variables. Comparison with more long-standing SHGs (at least 36 months) helps to explain how the borrowing patterns of poor and marginalized SHG members evolves.

Saving Preferences and Financial Literacy of Self Help Group Members: A Study of Uttar Pradesh

Microfinance is the provision of financial services to the rural and underprivileged sections of the society to engage in income-generating activities for their own growth and progress. This paper examines the income generating activities of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) for empowerment of women. It also analyses the saving preferences of SHG members and examines the financial literacy of these members after joining the SHGs. The analysis reveals that the different types of income generating activities started by SHG members include embroidery work, dairy, flower and bangle making, jute work, stitching work, vegetable cultivation and own shop. Among these, ‘own shop’ is the most prominent income generating activity followed by ‘stitching work’. In terms of saving preference, ‘own business development’ is their first saving preference for sustainable livelihood; ‘education of children’ is their saving preference for future of their children and ‘repairing of house’ is their saving preference for immediate expenditure. The analysis in terms of financial literacy reveals that financial literacy of SHG members regarding ration card, voter card, bank account and their phone number has increased after joining of SHGs.

Assessment of quality of life in women five years after breast cancer surgery, members of Breast Cancer Self-Help Groups - non-randomized, cross-sectional study.

Aim of the studyTo assess the quality of life in patients treated for breast cancer who were 5 years after diagnosis and were active members of Breast Cancer Self-Help Groups.Material and methodsThe study had a non-randomized, cross-sectional design. We enrolled 167 women who were more than 5 years after mastectomy and were active members of Breast Cancer Self-Help Groups (group A1). As a control group we enrolled 117 women after mastectomy – not members of such support groups (group A2). For the evaluation of the quality of life in both groups we used the following standardized questionnaires – EORTC QLQ-C30 and EORTC QLQ-BR23 as well the Mini-MAC scale for the assessment of strategies of coping with disease.ResultsBased on QLQ C30 scores, group A1 had better emotional functioning (p = 0.0005) and a higher general quality of life (p = 0.0259), whereas group A2 had better role functioning (p = 0.0042). Based on QLQ BR23 scores, there were statistically significant differences in body image (p = 0.0366) and life perspectives (p = 0.0313) in favor of group A1. In the control group, there was a greater use of destructive coping strategies and anxious preoccupation (p = 0.1957).ConclusionsMembership in Amazon groups improves functioning in breast cancer patients that can also extend into a five-year period after treatment completion.

Impact of Micro-Finance with Special Reference to Socio-Cultural &amp;amp; Interpersonal Empowerment of Women: An Empirical Analysis in Gandhinagar Region

Rationale - Globalization is having two sides like a coin, which gives enormous benefits but also brings in evils of competition which is having questions on the sustainability of the existing organizations. Micro-finance institutions are required to meet double bottom lines, maintaining a balance amongst access, impact and sustainability. The purpose of the empirical study is to gauge the impact of micro-finance on the empowerment of women, so as to check whether micro-finance justifies main objective of offering such a facility. Objectives - The main objectives include understanding the different benefits of micro-finance services, demographics of women who have availed micro-finance and accordingly determining the features which enable a better understanding of the processes of self-help groups (SHGs) and testing whether becoming a part of SHG has empowered women in the context of freedom to take important decisions which can be considered as socio-cultural and interpersonal empowerment. Design/methodology/approach - The data is collected using a self administered questionnaire. The sample size for the study is 56 respondents. SPSS 20 and MS Excel packages have been used for analysis. Descriptive statistics and nonparametric tests like Fisher and Wilcoxon tests have been used for determining the findings.Findings - The study suggests that micro-finance facilities benefit the women in the context of interpersonal and socio-cultural factors. The study also indicates that educated women and mature members of SHG understand the process of SHG quickly and easily. Also women feel empowered in terms of taking decisions related to money matters after availing micro-finance services. Research Limitations/implications - A key limitation of this study is the sampling frame and size. Also the study focuses only on socio-cultural and interpersonal dimensions of empowerment. Future studies should replicate this study in different contexts.

Sociodemographic profile and mental health orientation of self-help group members in rural Karnataka

Background: Perception of the people about mental illness will have a substantial impact on the treatment outcome and quality of life of people affected since it greatly influences the identification, help-seeking behavior, and stigma attached to it. To realize the goal of community-based mental health care, community needs to be educated on mental health issues. Aims: The aim of the study is to ascertain the sociodemographic profile of the members enrolled in self-help group (SHG) and their orientation toward mental illness (OMI). Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional research design was employed to assess the orientation of SHG members toward mental illness using OMI scale. Descriptive statistics and nonparametric tests were used for the analysis of the data. Results: Overall, participants obtained score of 212.50 which was above than the cutoff score, indicating unfavorable orientation to mental illness. Conclusion: Assessing and orienting the members of SHGs on mental health issues will aid in addressing the need to include an economic empowerment and social inclusion component while scaling up of mental health services in low- and middle-income countries. Further intervention model that is acceptable to the local community needs to be developed, and the efficacy of such intervention programs needs to be tested scientifically.

Participation of rural women self-help group members in economic and social developmental activities in Theni district, Tamil Nadu

Participation of rural women self-help group members in economic and social developmental activities in Theni district, Tamil Nadu

Comparison of Financial Literacy among Women Self Help Group Members Engaged in Weaving and Coir Activities in Salem District of Tamil Nadu

Financial literacy is considered an important adjunct for the promotion of financial inclusion and ultimately financial stability. With this background the study was taken up to assess and compare the financial literacy among the self-help group members engaged in weaving and coir activity of Salem district. 160 sample respondents involved in weaving activity and 40 in coir activity were randomly selected. The data was analyzed using simple conventional analysis and the results revealed that the financial knowledge was found to be low and the financial behavior and financial attitude was average among the women self-help group members engaged in weaving and coir activity. The study suggests that banks could take up proper extension efforts on financial literacy programmes. FLCCC should make efforts in providing financial counseling services to the SHGs through face to face interactions. The members of SHGs should be encouraged to engage in multiple income earning activities to improve their standard of living.

Entrepreneurship based empowerment among fisherwomen self help groups of Kerala

The present study was conducted to analyse the extent of empowerment achieved by fisherwomen through participation in the entrepreneurial activities of self help groups (SHGs) functioning in the fisheries sector. Data were collected from 180 SHG members in the Kollam, Ernakulam and Kasargod districts of Kerala. Aquaculture (55.5%) and value addition of fish (45.5%) were the entrepreneurial activities adopted by fisherwomen SHGs. Empowerment level of each SHG member was quantified by modifying the existing empowerment dimensions into an Empowerment Index (EI), consisting of 8 sub-dimensions. Extent of empowerment was found out by taking the difference of empowerment index before and after joining the SHG. Among the eight empowerment dimensions, higher difference was observed in confidence building (0.43) followed by economic empowerment (0.42) and decision making pattern (0.41). The study revealed that the levelof involvement in entrepreneurial activity has increased the empowerment in terms of confidence building, self-esteem, decision making pattern, psychological and economic empowerment. However, the existing fisheries extension interventions through extension contact and training were found to be associated with only self esteem and psychological empowerment.Therefore, new and innovative extension interventions are suggested in the paper to influence other sub-dimensions like economic empowerment, confidence building and decision making pattern.

Psychosocial Pathways Towards a Sustainable Society

This article focuses on a social intervention effort that has been going on for about 15 years to free a group of people who have been under debt bondage in rural India. They have worked as members of self-help groups (SHGs) and now are members of a producers’ company devoted to the cause of organic farming. The article investigates the role that is played by greed, altruism and social capital in sustainability perceptions of such villagers who only recently got exposed to the ways of an aspirational society. We found that greed and altruism played very little part in predicting sustainability perceptions, but social capital was a major predictor. While bonding social capital enhanced sustainability perception, bridging social capital reduced it. The results are understood in the overall social context of the Indian rural society and the social processes that unfolded during this intervention.