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Introduction:

Women constitute a major segment of the rural society but are often not able to reap adequate benefits of progress due to lack of empowerment. It is being increasingly realized that the goal of poverty eradication cannot be achieved without the full and active participation of the woman in the process of development. Informal groups empower rural women to manage rural industries and make decisions collectively for their common economic interests. With this objective in view, a number of measures have been taken in the recent past, one of them is formation of Om Sai Sakhi Mandal (SHG) and its initiation of income generation activity.

Formation of SHG: Om Sai Sakhi Mandal (SHG) was formed in 2009 at Kalsar with fifteen women members. All members belonged to ST caste. Thirteen members had some education ranging between 1^st and 10^th class and two members studied till HSC.

In the beginning, members started saving with Rupees One hundred per month per person. Group undergone training on regular savings and credit, book keeping and importance of formation of SHG.  Soon group started meeting regularly and initiated internal lending. After six months, group had a savings of Rupees Nine thousand and also DRDA provided revolving fund of Rupees Five thousand.

Initiation of Income Generation Activity: After continuous savings and regular meetings among the members, group decided to start some kind of entrepreneur activity to earn money to support their family.  Group members with support from project staff explored the possibility of initiation of a business of photo copy at the block Panchayat office.

Block Panchayat office needs to travel around 500 meters to get the photocopied done. In a day at least 40 – 50 times peon use to visit the vendor to get the photocopy done, this was resulting a sheer waste of time. Moreover, important documents were misplaced in transit. Vendor also use to charge Rs. 1.5 per copy

 In order to have a win – win situation, Block Project staff along with SHG members explored the possibility of having “Xerox Machine vendor in the block office premises. The group (Five members) started photocopy business at Block Panchayat Office. Initial capital required to purchase photo copy machine was generated by availing cash credit facility of Rs. one lakh under Mission Mangalam in the year 2012. Block office provided free space and electricity with a condition of having one photo copy print at Rs. 1.00

Group members had undergone the training on functioning of Photocopier machine. Soon after the training, the SHGs started attracting business with its speed and professionalism. Group started advertisement by handbill distribution into daily newspaper for their outside business. Group also started business of printout, CD writing etc…

 Impact: The business of photocopy machine has certainly contributed to some addition to their household income in the sense that they could get gainful employment without moving from one place. Group has a turnover of Rupees three lakhs /year from xerox activity alone which is a full time activity of women members. Profit is around 35 per cent.

The group become sustainable through this entrepreneur activity which uplifted their economic and social standard of living. It has also increased the self-confidence of members and boosted their self-esteem to some extent. They could now interact with the strangers, meet the officials to get the orders and market their service with much ease. They could now proudly proclaim themselves as small entrepreneurs who could succeed in their collective venture and stand as a model to other rural women interested to pursue such activities.

Success Factors: The success factors behind this collective venture include right aptitude for the task, adequate training, guidance to purchase the necessary equipment and raw material, provision of credit, encouragement of the officials, and sound leadership. Above all, the group cohesiveness and solidarity and their self-management skills contributed to the success of this group activity.

With the success of this model other government departments are willing to adopt the model. Vapi Municipality, Mamlatdar office, Pardi have already initiated the process to adopt the model.