The Indian experience of organizing women's savings and credit groups:
Three examples

MYRADA, an NGO in the state of Karnataka, has developed 1,700 informal savings and credit groups and successfully introduced some of these groups to the banking sector. MYRADA assists women who are in the initial stages of organization and provides training for groups which are already functioning, to enable these groups to become independent.

SAMAKYA has developed savings and credit cooperatives which operate under the State Cooperative Law. Since 1986, 96 savings and credit cooperatives have een formed, counting 11,000 members.

ASSEFA, covers 1,200 villages with its integrated development programmes, which include: education, health, savings and credit. To provide savings and credit to the members of village groups, ASSEFAhas created a "non-baning financial company". The village groups are shareholders in this company and can save loans from the central headquaretrs or from the funds. The fund now has 22 branches.


Source:
Vincent, Fernand, Alternative Financing, Volume I. Geneva: Development Innovations and Networks (IRED), 1995.

Hari Srinivas - hsrinivas@gdrc.org
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