The Self Help Group Movement in India has been successful since 1991. Women are best when they are in groups and they often gain strength from a group as they collectively achieve feats they can’t as individuals. These Self Help Groups transforms itself into a space for expression, motivation and support. Hand in Hand India has been one of the main contributors to the Self Help Group Movement in developing entrepreneurship and promotion of enterprises amongst women through access to savings, finance and insurance. Hand in Hand India Women have established small scale enterprises which are seasonal with minimal increase in income
HiH India has mobilized over 2 million women living at the bottom of the pyramid into 166,937self-help groups and created over 3.75 million jobs for the rural poor. The model of job creation and women empowerment by Hand in Hand has been replicated in 11 countries across the globe. Additionally, they have developed over 400 sustainable rural communities in India.
“Hand in Hand India showed us the way forward on how instead of expecting better prices, we could initiate our own society and market the milk through HiH India hub says Shakila from Magisha Milk Society, Kancheepuram. From directly sourcing and selling milk without the involvement of middlemen, Shakila from Kancheepuram quite literally brought along a tide of entrepreneurial revolution by paving the way for other women in the village to become self-sufficient. #EachforEqual, motivated by other women, Kalaiarasifrom Chidambaram joined the Malar JLG, run by Hand in Hand India in 2016. She learnt about the opportunity in milch-animal rearing and was quick to adapt. She took her first loan cycle and was happy to earn INR 69467 in the last three years through the Kavarapettai Milk Federation. Shenbagam is a staunch follower of zero budget farming and patronising the concept of direct purchase from the farm, Shenbagam Organics has been created to develop a new niche to market traditional paddy such as Kichili Samba, Thooyamalli and Poongar rice varieties and it has been successful. Through the support of Hand in Hand they could not only procure traditional varieties of seed but were also guided on organic farming. Such efforts go a long way to revive rice culture and create sustainable rice ecosystems by conserving indigenous varieties. Gayathri’s debut venture of organic palm sugar and jaggery that has loyal customers across Kancheepuram is also supported by Hand in Hand. Through Close handholding and mentoring, Rubina has been able to set up her own enterprise, with the help of Hand in Hand.
Hand in Hand India, is a public charitable trust working to alleviate poverty through job creation and integrated community development across 16 States of India. Registered in 2002, the organization works in interrelated areas of child labour elimination and education; women empowerment through skilling and access to credit for job creation; skill development; health and environment. The success of the programme has enthused more and more women entrepreneurs to take the support of Hand in Hand India. Hand in Hand India also has the certification from IIT Madras and that acts like a door opener for many opportunities.