Reapers, solitary no longer. (NGO Watch).

Despite their virtual lack of access to the means of improving their incomes in many developing countries, women make an essential contribution to their families' survival, especially among the poorer strata. fact, in India, rural women are estimated to be the sole family providers in nearly a quarter of homes, clearly a workforce with economic potential. Building on the experiences of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working with poor rural villagers, the Tamil Nadu Women's Development Project (1990-1998) of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) recruited 27 NGOs to work with women self-help groups. They spent the first six to twelve months building group cohesion and familiarizing members with savings and borrowing procedures. Once the women overcame the fear of borrowing money and found they were able to repay their group-based loans, they were assisted in requesting and obtaining formal bank loans, half of which went towards livestock activities that provided landless and smallholder women with the opportunity to have some sort of daily income, and a quarter towards handicrafts and small-scale trading. The groups also managed to save money and set up a system for small emergency loans among members. These savings helped build confidence and empowerment and, indeed, the sustainabi lity of the initiative.

Branching out beyond savings and credit, many groups have taken the initiative in community-oriented projects and held negotiations with authorities. By adopting a method of group organization, the project assisted rural women in improving their skills and economic activities to acquire the self-confidence to become regular bank clients and entrepreneurs. This built self-reliance and raised their status in the family and the community, leading to important changes in social patterns and norms. For instance, women involved in the project have become more independent economically, and their overall decision-making role in the family and sense of empowerment have also been enhanced.

Here are some specific results of the Tamil Nadu Project:

* some 4,602 self-help groups were formed, bringing together 108,300 women in eight districts;

* over 68,800 loans were granted on market terms (12.5% interest) by the 108 branches of the Indian Bank;

* of the State Government of Tamil Nadu decided to expand the project, using its own resources to all its districts, while the World Bank and IFAD are replicating the experiment in six other states of India.

In the words of a woman from the village of Oodaipatti: "I am hopeful about the future, because I have my own income and I know that if I have a problem I can solve it with the group."

* Kuppamma was a destitute agricultural labourer. Her husband had left her when she was 20 years old, leaving her with three children. Saving regularly to build up credit worthiness, she eventually became eligible for a loan that enabled her to buy land and livestock and send her children to the village school, Now her husband wants to come back to her.

* Kusum, 22, had a drunken husband, three daughters to feed and clothe, and debts. With the help of micro-credits of the Tamil Nadu Women's Development Project, women formed similar self-help groups, and NGOs then trained them in basic account management skills. Members were required to contribute a part of their earnings to a common fund; in return, they could borrow money from the fund. This practice of small loans and savings provided them with the discipline and confidence. Today, Kusum, similarly the other participating women, has her own farm, her daughters attend the village school and her husband no longer drinks.

* Lakshmi Venkatachalam, 45, worked with her husband as a seasonal agricultural labourer for only six months per year. In 1994, a self-help group was established in Lakshmi's village. She joined the group and took a loan of Rs 11,000 (Indian rupees) in 1995. With that sum she bought four cows, which now have four calves, and earns a net income of Rs 2,000 per month from the milk animals. Her husband supplements this income by continuing to work as an agricultural labourer. The couple have two handicapped sons aged 22 and 20, so Lakshmi also used the loan to pay for their medical expenses. To engage them in active work, she rented a shop where the older son works. The younger son, who suffers from heart problems, delivers milk to the Mallur milk society, which is about 3 kilometres away from their village. Lakshmi is the breadwinner of the family and plans to expand her operations. She wants to acquire 15 cows.

* Bhagyam makes pots by moulding clay. The IFAD loan allowed her to buy additional clay, firewood to fire the pots and a bullock cart to transport the pots to the market.

* Laxmi is the animator of a self-help group. With an IFAD loan she bought three sewing machines and now teaches 15 members in tailoring and makes blouses and children's clothes, which bring an income of Rs 800 per month. In her words: "Before the IFAD project, I was a housewife. Now that I am earning well, I have also gained a position of respect in society. I sell blouse pieces for Rs 15 per piece and make clothes for children. I want to finance my son's studies at an English boarding school. I am very happy that I can help these women who will in turn set up their own businesses."

* Rani and Senthil run a soda factory. Prior to the IFAD loan, Senthil worked as a coolie (porter) and Rani was a housewife. Senthil earned Rs 30-40 per day. In 1992, they took an IFAD loan of Rs 11,500, which they have fully paid back with interest. They used it to start a soda factory that gives them a daily income of Rs 100. They now own the house they live in.

* In Nilavarapatti, Seltru has leased an area, which he uses for crushing stones, employing local village men to cut the stones. Selvi heads a women's self-help group in the village of Panama rathupatti. The group buys the residual stone at Rs 250 and crushes it further. The women sell the crushed stones at Rs 750 to the contractor who uses them to make roofs and line roads. Seltru and Selvi used to work as agricultural labourers, earning Rs 30 per day; now they earn up to Rs 100. Selvi comments: "Self-help groups benefitted me immensely. I took a loan from the group. Now my sons study in a private school and I can save Rs 125 each month."

* Before 1995, people in Mallagoundanor village had to walk 2 to 3 kilometres to buy essential goods at government subsidized prices. That year, the Government set up a ration shop in the village and put the women's self-help group in charge. Seeing how efficiently it managed, the Government handed over the operation of other ration shops in the state to self-help groups. Gandhimati and Dhanalaxmi run the shops in Mallagoundanor. For each kilogramme of rice sold, they both get a commission, yielding Rs 850-900 per month.

* Vadivazhagi, project coordinator for the NGO Community Service Guild, recalls how men were reluctant to let women join self-help groups. Now that they are earning, the men have, begun to appreciate the fact that their wives contribute to the family income and their children can go to school. The men even celebrate International Women's Day on 8 March. The women in turn have gained confidence. Initially, they were nervous about dealing with officials. Vadivazhagi strongly believes that the IFAD project should be replicated everywhere.