As God Desires: Equipping and influencing communities in India

Responding to such barriers, EFIC@R proactively mobilized economic empowerment and transformation programs in the District of Khunti, Jharkhand, forming a Self Help Group (SHG) and a Vocational Centre where youth and school dropout girls, who are susceptible of exploitation were enrolled for training.

Kripa, aged 21years, is a young girl from village Lupungdi and is the eldest amongst her 3 sisters. Her parents, seasonal laborers are not able to earn enough to support their daily needs. Through our awareness building meeting in the village, the young girl became a part of the SHG group engaged in the mushroom cultivation and joined our vocational centre which teaches stitching, embroidery and so on and is also linked with the government.

After coming to the SHG group, slowly her life began to transform, she began the cultivation work with the group and earned money. Gradually, through the SHG, Kripa learnt how to save money, and with the training provisions provided by us, she learnt stitching at the centre.

Further, she had saved some money from her mushroom farming, and availed a loan from the SHG group. With the saved money, she purchased raw material, and started stitching blouses and petticoats for the village women on orders.     
 
Kripa shared with us, that she has seen many of her friends leaving the village in hope of earning some money and few of them have never come back to the village again. She herself wanted to leave with her friends due to lack of opportunities in the village, but fell sick and was unable to leave with them.  Now, she considers herself to be the fortunate one because, through the SHG and the training centre, she is able to earn Rs. 1,500/- per month.

With joy she shared that she feels extremely confident and empowered, as earlier, they did not have money to buy warm clothes for winter, but now with her earning she is able to buy a new sweater for herself and her younger sister.