As a result of the community organization and development initiatives undertaken by the Deal Foundation to create livelihoods for families of persons with disabilities and women, self-help groups are being formed. Women and persons with disabilities aspire to engage in livelihood and income-generating opportunities to support their families’ growth. The Deal Foundation provides equal opportunities to these individuals, empowering them to gain recognition in society.
As a result, women and persons with disabilities are forming self-help groups and receiving various training programs from the Deal Foundation, including awareness training, financial leadership training, book writing training, and employment-oriented training. The Deal Foundation is empowering them to engage in self-employment. Through this initiative, many women have successfully developed self-help groups over the years and have become role models for other women in every taluk. One such women’s self-help group is the ‘Spandana Mahila Self-Help Group’ from Mundaragi Taluk.
Regarding this group, Renuka Kallalli, the Livelihood Officer from Mundaragi Taluk, has established several self-help groups for women and persons with disabilities in Mevundi village. She has provided them with training, facilitated bank loans, and helped them secure employment, thereby offering financial stability to their families.Noticing her efforts, the women of Mevundi village, who were previously involved in Panchayat work, approached Renuka and expressed their interest in forming a self-help group. They requested her support, to which Renuka responded by affirming that the primary objective of the Deal Foundation is to empower women and persons with disabilities. She agreed to assist them and proceeded to help establish their self-help group.
Later, ten women came together, gathered all the necessary documents, and invited Renuka to facilitate the formation of their self-help group. With all the required documentation, Renuka officially established the group and named it ‘Spandana Mahila Self-Help Group.’ She also assisted them in opening a bank account at KCC Bank in Mundaragi Taluk. Each member has been contributing ₹100 per month as savings.
Renuka then provided the group with book writing training, leadership training, and information about government schemes available to them. She also conducted training sessions on employment opportunities. As a result, all the members developed an interest in employment, and after six months, they decided to take a loan from the bank to start their businesses. Accordingly, they submitted a loan application to KCC Bank. However, the bank informed them that loans would only be provided after one year of account operation. After discussing the situation among themselves, the members decided to open an account at Mevundi Village’s Samrakshane Vikala Chetanara Cooperative Society. They proceeded with the account opening there and continued depositing ₹100 per month as savings.
The cooperative society initially sanctioned a loan of ₹50,000, which the members diligently repaid in full without any outstanding dues. Encouraged by this success, they held another meeting and, with Renuka’s assistance, prepared the necessary documentation to apply for a second loan. This time, they secured a ₹1 lakh loan, which was distributed among three members to help them start their businesses. Anjamma Hiremani, from a farming background, took ₹50,000 to buy sheep and started a sheep farming business, significantly improving her financial stability. Devakka Hiremani also took ₹50,000 to purchase a cow and began a dairy farming business. With the profits earned, she has been able to buy more cows, further strengthening her financial position. Mahalakshmi used her savings to secure a loan for agriculture-related work, providing financial support to her family.
All the members of the self-help group have taken loans for their chosen occupations and have become a financial support to their families. Several other members have also decided to take loans. The group members are diligently repaying their loans without any pending dues. Those who have benefited from this initiative shared their thoughts on the Deal Foundation We are delighted to see the Deal Foundation actively supporting persons with disabilities in Mevundi village. Observing its activities, we decided to undergo training with this organization and formed our self-help group with Renuka’s guidance. Saving money has proven invaluable during difficult times. When we seek loans from other sources, we often face rejection or high interest rates. However, through our self-help group, we have been able to access loans at lower interest rates, significantly improving our financial stability. We express our heartfelt gratitude to the Deal Foundation and Renuka for providing us with essential training and guidance. We sincerely hope that this foundation continues to be a pillar of support for many more women like us.
Thus, the Deal Foundation has paved the way for the self-reliance of women and persons with disabilities in every taluk through self-help groups. All the women and persons with disabilities sincerely wish for the continued success and recognition of the Deal Foundation for its remarkable work.
For any specific questions or assistance related to this blog, please contact Info@deal-foundation.com. To learn more about our initiatives, visit www.deal-foundation.com.
Thank you!