Empowering Women
The status of women in India is a complex story. Although in ancient times women possessed equal status with men—and today many women hold high offices in the State—women in India still face much discrimination and social challenges and are often subject to abuse and crime. To help combat this grim reality, Prime Trust actively believes that all women should be given a chance to earn the respect and opportunities they deserve from society. As such, one of our three core activities is empowering women. To this end, we run a number of programs, including supporting Self-Help Groups (SHGs), running vocational training centers to facilitate financial independence, and opening low fee daycare centers to ease the stress of supporting a family.
Vocational Training
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Prime Trust has also established a number of facilities that provide vocational training, teaching women valuable skills that lead to financial stability and independence.
Mat Weaving A micro-enterprise focused on mat weaving was founded at the instigation of Prime Trust with the support of a partner, Credit@People – a French foundation specialized in the design, set-up and support of micro-enterprises. Prime Trust then loaned a building in which to found this mat weaving center, helped the women acquire loans to buy the looms and provides them with salvaged material cut offs from nearby tailoring firms and an employee to train them. |
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Once the women have been trained in the facility and become acquainted with the machines, they are able to produce 11 to 12 mats per day per person (total production per month = 2000 mats). These women are then given full access to the facility and materials, allowing them to create these mats on their own time fitting their own schedule. Once created, the women sell their own doormats, allowing them to benefit from a supplementary source of income
Tailoring Center
Founded in 2008, a training center for tailoring was opened by Prime Trust. Sewing machines were bought by Prime Trust, with some donated by the Rotary Club of Chennai, and one electrically powered machine was donated by a volunteer from Norway, Linea. Here, the women can pay a minimal fee to get tutoring in sewing and clothes manufacturing (courses of 3 or 6 months). At the moment 30 apprentices are learning how to make clothes in our tailoring center (churridars, choli blouses, trousers, kurtas…).
Handicraft Center
In the same building as the tailoring center, a tutor also teaches how to manufacture bags, purses, letter pouches and other such fabric items.
Tailoring Center
Founded in 2008, a training center for tailoring was opened by Prime Trust. Sewing machines were bought by Prime Trust, with some donated by the Rotary Club of Chennai, and one electrically powered machine was donated by a volunteer from Norway, Linea. Here, the women can pay a minimal fee to get tutoring in sewing and clothes manufacturing (courses of 3 or 6 months). At the moment 30 apprentices are learning how to make clothes in our tailoring center (churridars, choli blouses, trousers, kurtas…).
Handicraft Center
In the same building as the tailoring center, a tutor also teaches how to manufacture bags, purses, letter pouches and other such fabric items.
Sishu Bhavan Daycare Center
Sishu Bhavan Daycare Center helps parents who want to provide quality care for their children but have to work. In a warm, caring and safe environment children are able to grow, learn, explore and have plenty of fun while benefiting from quality care provided by our trained and motivated teaching staff. The hours are flexible to suit working parents and the nominal fee allows children from low income families to attend. At the moment, 60 children under the age of three are enrolled in the Daycare center.
Self-Help Groups & Microfinance
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What are Self-Help Groups?
Self-help groups have been promoted by NGOs throughout India since 1992 and is commonly defined as small groups of micro-entrepreneurs, most commonly women, with similar social and economic backgrounds. The SHG development model is based on the idea of women empowerment; it not only offers members a sustainable income and a new level of financial mobility, but it also encourages women to utilize local resources, raises awareness of their rights, develops leadership skills and confidence. Without this opportunity these women would continue to struggle at the margins of society for generations to come. Members voluntarily come together to save small amounts, which nourishes a common fund, allowing them to meet their immediate needs as a community—for example purchasing raw materials used to create sellable garments, therefore generating income. Group members use collective wisdom and peer pressure to ensure that the credit is put to its intended use and is paid back on time. SHGs are considered the largest microfinance dispensation model in India, with more than 3 million active SHGs countrywide. NGOs such as Prime Trust are more and more prone to linking SHGs with local banks that specialize in micro-finance, so that SHGs may receive a formal loan. |
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Prime Trust’s Self-Help Groups We facilitate the formation of SHGs throughout Pondicherry and the neighboring districts of Villupurum and Cuddalore. These groups are located in both urban and rural areas that are out of reach for many other organizations. Most of the women are from the poorest Dalit communities—sometimes referred to as the ‘untouchables’. Due to lingering prejudices from the old Indian caste system, these communities are considered to be at the bottom of Indian society and often experience unfair treatment and discrimination. Acquiring a loan or any financial support to start a business from a normal bank is not a possibility for these women. |
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We act as an intermediary between the banks and women, help the women open savings accounts and encourage the bank to agree on a low interest loan. The intention of these micro-finance loans is to encourage entrepreneurial spirit within the groups, so that their members can collectively establish their own small businesses and work towards financial independence. When these businesses start to turn a profit and a group successfully pays off its first loan, the bank offers a larger sum so that the group may continue to grow. Prime Trust has and continues to form, help, advise, and pro-actively follow more than 200 SHGs which represents more than 4000 beneficiaries.
AKSHAYA: Our Federation of Self-Help Groups
In 2011 Prime Trust formed an SHG Federation dedicated to micro-credit programs called Akshaya. Akshaya helps women financially set up their small business by providing short loan for a period of 10 months. Akshaya has its own board with a Chairman and Directors from the Self-Help Groups run by Prime Trust. This federation makes application processes easy to follow, and prides itself in transparency, providing the necessary support throughout the process to ensure thorough understanding of the loan agreement and repayment through finance and vocational training programs. Two highly trained field officers have been employed by Prime Trust to travel to the various supported communities and provide assistance to ensure loans are being utilized efficiently and effectively.
Approximately 1000 women who are generating income save money, and Prime Trust lends this money to people in need: the interest rates are of 18% when providing the loan and 10% when saved, so there is a profit of 8%. An annual general body meeting invites the women to come and discuss the budget, income and expenditure – the board of directors and chairman will sign the agreements.
AKSHAYA: Our Federation of Self-Help Groups
In 2011 Prime Trust formed an SHG Federation dedicated to micro-credit programs called Akshaya. Akshaya helps women financially set up their small business by providing short loan for a period of 10 months. Akshaya has its own board with a Chairman and Directors from the Self-Help Groups run by Prime Trust. This federation makes application processes easy to follow, and prides itself in transparency, providing the necessary support throughout the process to ensure thorough understanding of the loan agreement and repayment through finance and vocational training programs. Two highly trained field officers have been employed by Prime Trust to travel to the various supported communities and provide assistance to ensure loans are being utilized efficiently and effectively.
Approximately 1000 women who are generating income save money, and Prime Trust lends this money to people in need: the interest rates are of 18% when providing the loan and 10% when saved, so there is a profit of 8%. An annual general body meeting invites the women to come and discuss the budget, income and expenditure – the board of directors and chairman will sign the agreements.
