Chamarajanagar
CEO's Note
Profiting from Guidance
Sanjeevini to the Rescue
Sanjeevini Champion: Pankaja, Kollegal taluk
Filling a vital need in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, Sanjeevini SHGs in Chamarajanagar district have started producing affordable face masks that act as the first line of defence to break the chain of infection of the deadly virus.
The topography of Chamarajanagar district consists of farmland and forests including the tourist attraction of the Bandipur National Park. Thus, a majority of self help group members are engaged in dairying, animal husbandry, agri-horti-flori-culture related activities. In normal times, apart from the major livelihood activities, women’s SHGs also capitalise on the tourist traffic by weaving mats, gathering honey, making agarbathies, soap, candles, phenol, baking, making juices from local fruits, and offering services such as beautician, tailoring. Several of them have opened small grocery shops and cafes. In the wake of the pandemic, all the regular activities were put on hold and the Sanjeevini SHGs are working on a war footing to make masks. “There is an acute shortage of masks in the district and manufacturing them locally can help alleviate the shortage. In addition, making the masks has helped provide rural women employment opportunities that they have been deprived of due to the pandemic”, says Bhoyar Harshal Narayanrao, CEO, Chamarajanagar Zilla Panchayat. With timely intervention by the Sanjeevini District Mission Management Unit’s convergence team, SHGs have been linked to the district. They have orders to make over 1,200 masks in the price range of Rs.15 to Rs.25. Several SHGs in the district are also using recycled cotton to produce masks.
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Champion
When a person is confused about the way out of a life of poverty, Sanjeevini shines a light on the path to earn a better income. Pankaja is one such beneficiary who has overcome hurdles and become a champion.
“The intervention of Sanjeevini women’s SHGs at the right time to manufacture masks is a commendable job. With them by our side we are confident we will alleviate the shortage of masks in the district”, Bhoyar Harshal Narayana Rao, CEO, Chamarajanagar Zilla Panchayat.
The members of SHG women were able to make masks from sewing machines procured through the Community Investment Fund made available to their SHGs through the NRLM scheme. Apart from helping them procure the machines, the institution building /capacity building teams of Sanjeevini had ensured that the members were given skill training to work as tailors or run their own small tailoring businesses. Dr. BR Mamatha, former Sanjeevini Mission Director, has applauded the efforts of the SHGs and the district team as “a classic example of the importance of institution building and capacity building within a community”. Sanjeevini has built up a robust mechanism of an institution with skilled human resources that has come to the aid of the community.
“My dream of being self-employed has become a reality. Women can make their lives better by taking up self-employment under Sanjeevini,” says Pankaja.
Pankaja is a resident of Madhuvanahalli, a nondescript village in Kollegal taluk in Chamarajanagar district. Her husband Doreswamy and she found it difficult to manage with his income as a daily wager when they had three children. Pankaja too was compelled to work as a daily-wage labourer. The couple together could make a maximum of Rs.300 per day, which was insufficient
Pankaja’s story through her lens: “In the initial days, I was unable to deposit the thrift amount and used to absent myself from the meetings of the group. But, the other members of the group visited my house, educated me about the importance of the SHG and the need to attend its
for the family and they struggled for two square meals a day. Their neighbours had become members of the Apoorva Jyothi women self help group and they convinced Pankaja to join them. A hesitant Pankaja became a member of the SHG. The group used to assemble every week, discussing various issues including thrift.
meetings. Since then I started attending meetings regularly. One day, resource persons from NRLM met us and told us about depositing the money with the bank, the importance of banking services, availability of loan from bank and role of women SHGs in banking transactions. Later, I availed
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