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Sector: Self Help Group
Shrimati Shrishta Devi of Bharmar had the
knowledge and skills to bring herself out of
poverty, but she did not have the capital. She
had learned how to sew at a young age from her
parents at home. With what she could make on her
sewing machine, Shrishta Devi was just
barely able to provide for her three children
and meet household expenses. Earning 100-200
rupees each month, Shrishta Devi could barely
afford the raw materials for her livelihood.
Without these raw materials, it was impossible
for her to sew and sell products
Seeing the many opportunities that CORD’s Self
Help Groups (SHG) provided, Shrishta Devi knew
this was her only chance to solve her financial
problems. The SHG in her community, called
Chinmaya Bagala Mukti, consisted of women who
gave 20 rupees of their savings
 each
month into a joint account. With the leadership
of a president and a secretary, the women
managed the money and took loans as necessary.
These SHG, a form of micro banking, allowed the
women to access credit. Many times the poor are
considered to be ‘unbankable’ because of their
lack of collateral. They are unable to receive
loans from traditional banks which keep them
from accessing the money they need to start a
business or make large purchases. They are
forced to live day to day, and can only meet
their daily expenses. Savings were unheard until
these groups were introduced to the poor.
With access to credit, Shrishta Devi felt
empowered to expand her small sewing business.
She decided to specialize in making bags and
took a loan from the group to buy raw materials.
Although she was nervous about taking the loan,
she had the support of her fellow grou p
members. Shrishta Devi did not feel overwhelmed
by the process or the interest she would have to
pay on her loan. She increased her work
significantly over the next couple of months.
Although Shrishta Devi had the sewing skills to
make bags, she wanted to enhance her skills. She
knew that by improving the quality of her
products she could increase her reach in the
market. She was introduced to the trainings and
joined a one month sewing training led by
Santosh Rana at CORD.
Shrishta Devi took her training very seriously
and gave it her all. Before, sewing was a means
of survival for Shrishta Devi, but with training
and a new found confidence she began to think
about how to be creative and expand her
business. Through a loan from her SHG
 she
bought a new sewing machine for 5000 rupees.
Shrishta Devi noticed a need for school bags,
and started to experiment. Soon, she was making
150-170 top-quality school bags each month.
Schools began to her approach her with orders
for school bags.
With the SHG loans, Shrishta Devi was able to
drastically improve her economic condition. She
increased her income to 4000-5000 rupees per
month and now puts in 100 rupees a month to her
SHG. This new entrepreneur has not only changed
her own life, but the lives of her children as
well. Shrishta Devi constructed a new home and
is able to pay for the marriages of her
children. As a result of her membership in a
SHG, Shrishta Devi became empowered and
confident in her skills. Although she appears
simple on the outside, her mind runs like a
professional business woman. Never in her life
did she think she was capable of being
financially literate to run her own business.
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