HEALTH IS WEALTH
Mrs. Stella Glory lives at Perumankuzhi village, Marthandam Division, with her husband and two children. She is an active member of Ruth MG in that area. By the minimal income earned by her laborer husband Mrs. Stella glory managed to meet the daily needs of the family. But as a strong willed woman, with a vision was not satisfied with her boring daily routine house hold activities.
In this context the ICEP team organized a sensitization meeting on life style related diseases with special focus on diabetes and hyper tension; in the meeting the ;CEP team highlighted and explained the basic facts about the symptoms, causes and consequences of Diabetic and Hyper tension. While attending this meeting Mrs. Stella Glory got some doubts on her own health condition and eagerly enquired with the field organizer about Diabetes. Field Organizer advised Mrs. Stella Glory to visit a nearby hospital in this regard. In line with the suggestions of field organizer she went for a blood test and was diagnosed as a diabetic.
Mrs. Stella was instantly shocked and sought the medical counseling of the field organizer and other precautionary measure and steps to fight against diabetes. The field organizer candidly explained the food habits that she has to follow and some other necessary exercises to control the sugar level. The medical counseling helped Mrs. Stella glory to fight against diabeties in a successful way and to carry out her daily routine work with confidence and success.
HOPE IN DISTRESS
Mrs. Jeyaseeli Malayandi is an active member of Maranatha SHG, Elanthayadi, Nagercoil Division. Mrs. Jeyaseeli was a widow and she lived with her children. As her husband died unexpectedly Jeyaseeli found it very difficult to lead a normal life and she suffered a lot without any income. So she borrowed some loan to meet the urgent and necessary expenses, but as there was no adequate income she failed to repay the loan in time. She did not get any support either from the society or from the family. Mr. Malayandi married Jeyaseeli as his second wife. As Jeya-seeli was having two children through her first husband this reality created problem between Jeyaseeli and Mr. Malayandi. Mrs. Jeyaseeli’s inner peace was affected very much due to all these factors. In addition, there was no permanent job for her.
In this situation the Field Organizer SHG met facilitated Jeyaseeli to become a member in the Self Help Group and to save Rs.100/- per month and also to avail loan facility from the Group. Mrs. Jeyaseeli was also guided and advised to start her own business, as her husband did not have a permanent job. In this sluation Mrs. Jeyaseeli got a loan of Rs.25000/- bought an “iron box”, and a small pulling cart for her husband and other accessories to start ironing work.
Now her husband goes to the nearby villages to do ironing work whenever needed and earns some income. In addition Mrs. Jeyaseeli works as a coolie and brings some additional income to the family. Thus the family gets enough income to meet their family needs, and now the entire family lives with hope and happiness.
A BEACON IN DARKNESS
Mrs. Malliga a 29 year old destitute is living with her 4 year old daughter at Karinchancodu village, Nagercoil Division. As a poor destitute, by working as a coolie in paddy fields she was caring and looking after her daughter. The minimal and seasonal income she was earning was inadequate to meet her family expenses and her daughter’s educational needs. Her deplorable state of living affected her body and mind deeply and desperately.
During this period, TSA-ICEP has just started a new SHG called IMAYAM at Karinchancodu village. Mrs.Malliga was motivated to became a member of the same by the field organizer and accordingly she became a member and started to save Rs.20/- per week. After a few months she took Rs.5000/- from the SHG as an internal loan and purchased coconut fronds to start a Business. She weaves the coconut fronds and sail the woven coconut fronds regularly. However she could not get enough profit in this business and so she found it hard to meet the increasing family needs. In addition her daughter got admission in a nearby school and paying the educational fees of her daughter created additional burden and mental pain.
As members of the IMAYAM SHG were the repaying their respective internal loans regularly, this SHG applied for a bank linkage and availed bank loan facility. The field organiz-er encouraged and motivated Mrs. Malliga to avail another loan from the bank to expand her woven coconut frond trade, accordingly she availed Rs.25000/- and expanded her business in a better way. As a result now she earns Rs.150/- per day as an average income and now she lives a respectable and happy life with her daughter.
WELDING SHOP
Timely Guidance and supports is greater than Gold and Silver
Mrs.Christinal is a dynamic member of the Cooper women self help group, Keezhkulam village, Marthandam Division supported by TSA-ICEP. Moreover she functions as the president of the SilO. Her husband Mr. Aruldhas is a welder, and this couple is blessed with two lovely daughters. Even though Mrs. Christinal’s husband is a welder he did not get regular job and employment opportunity. So there was no regular income and as a result Mrs. Christinal’s family found it very difficult to meet the educational expenses of her two daughters.
In this situation the Field Organizer of the TSA-ICEP contacted Mrs. Christinal and gave necessary motivation and guidelines to start a self employment business. According-ly her family members decided to start their own welding shop so Mrs. christinal applied for a loan in her SHG and received Rs.20000/- as internal loan and Its. 20000/- as bank loan and with this money bought necessary equipments and expanded welding work in a better and productive way. Mr.Aruldhas got many work orders for welding work and the income of the family has started to increase. Moreover Mrs.Christinal is earning more money by selling cashew nut, with the help of the SHG.
As a result of the economic advancement made by the family Mrs. Christinal’s eldest daughter was able to complete her B.Sc Nursing successfully in 2014. Her second daughter has success-fully completed her B.Sc Zoology in the same year.
Her eldest daughter’s marriage was conducted in January 2015 and Mrs. Christinal was able to meet the marriage expense easily. Now she is in a position to conduct the marriage of her second daughter. Now from the welding work the family earns Rs.12000/- every month; in addition Mrs.Christinal earns Rs.3000/- per month by selling cashew nuts. Now Mrs.christinal family lives happily with satisfaction and honor. Now Mrs. Christinal’s family members grate-fully remember the TSA-ICEP for it’s timely Guidance and support.
ATTITUDE CHANGE BRINGS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
Mrs. Maria Amirtham is an active member in the Jasmine SHG at Thenguvilai village, Kulasekaram Division and this SHG is facilitated by TSA-ICEP. She lives with her husband with a lovely daughter and a smart son.
Mrs. Maria Amirtham is a home maker and her husband Mr.Raju was working as a painter for daily wages under one contractor. He did not get regular work and so the income earned by him was insufficient to meet the family needs and the educational expenses of their children who were studying in a private school. So she borrowed money for high interest to meet necessary expenses.
Jasmine SHG was started in 2012, by the efforts and initiative taken by TSA-10EP field organizer. Mrs. Maria Amirtham joined the Jasmine SHG in 2013. The field organizer of the TSA-ICEP explained and insisted the importance of starting own business and the benefits of self owned business. With the facilitation, support and guidance of the field organizer, Mrs. Maria Amirtham availed the loan facility provided by the Jasmine SHG Mrs. Maria Amirtham got a loan of Rs.20000/- from the SHG and bought a machine for painting works for her husband. Now her husband is doing painting work on contract basis by employing one assistant painter for salary. Now by this painting work, Mr. Raju earns a daily income ranging from Rs.700/- to Rs.1000/- per day. The family has been financially progressing Now Mrs. Maria Amirtham is able to repay loans borrowed to meet the family needs and educational expenses of her children.
1. Now this family doesn’t borrow outside loan with high interest.
2. They have regained their 5 sovereign of a golden ornament that was mortgaged in the bank.
3. The family gets steady income due to continuous employment opportunity.
4. Initially Mrs. Maria Amirtham was saving Rs.l00/- per month and now she saves Rs.300/- per month.
5. Comfortably and easily this family meets the basic needs of the family.
6. The family members are happy, hopeful and optimistic.
INVESTMENT AND HARD WORK LEADS TO ECONOMIC PROGRESS
Mrs.Gnanam is a widow and also an active member in the Ray women self help group at Nelveli Village, Marthandam Division, and this SHG is facilitated by the TSA-ICEP. and she lives son and daughter.
Mrs.Gnanam was getting 100 days work in a year under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act scheme launched by the Government. Her son was working as a coolie. Before six years her daughter was given in marriage and an account of this marriage the family incurred heavy loan burden and consequently the family struggled a lot to repay the loan. Apart from the I00 days work this family faced great hardship and poverty.
The Ray self help group was started by the TSA-ICEP organizer with 14 members and the SHG was functioning in a wonderful manner. As Mrs. Gnanam was very poor she could not repay the loan and loan interest borrowed from a money lender in time and this pitiable situation affected her mind very much. In this context the Field organizer guided and encouraged her to start her own business. So she got a loan of Rs.20000/ and bought an auto rickshaw for her son. Again she got an additional loan of Rs.40000/- as second linkage and has started a Tiffin centre.
Mrs. Gnanam is not working only 100 days in the NREGA schemes, other days she assists her son in the Tifen centre. She earns sufficient income from the ‘1″ centre, so she repaid the intemal loan, bank loan and also regularly saves in the SHG. From the Tifen centre the family cams a regular daily income ranging from Rs.600f- to Rs.750/-. As she runs her Tifin shop, she is very happy now she has repaid all the loans and looks into the future with great hope and satisfaction. Initially Mrs. Gnanam was saving Rs.l00/- per month and now she saves Rs.200/- per month, definitely the progressive and impressive path of Mrs. Gnanam is a milestone and encouraging example for other.
A LEAP FROM IGNORANT SLAVERY TO SPECTACULAR LIBRERATION
Mrs. Chandra is a member of Jiniya SHG at Puthugramam village in Division. She is living with her husband and three sons. Her husband and Mrs. Chandra cultivate paddy and plantain alternatively in the 15 cents of agricultural land owned Mrs. Chandra. As the family is economically poor, they used to borrow money from a money lender cum trader for the purchase of manure and also for the cultivation. Unfortunately during the harvesting the money lender selling price of the paddy at a cheaper rate and forces the family to sell the yield to him at the price fixed by him. Thus the family has been incurring heavy loss due to their dependence on the money lender cum trader.
Mrs. Chandra during the self help group meeting shared her grievances with the members. The field organizer instantly guided her to utilize the SHG loan for the cultivation. She intelligently applied to the SHG, for a loan to escape from the cruel clutches of the trader. With the support of other members of the SHG she got a loan of Rs.20000/- for the cultivation of her land. After having got the loan Mrs. Chandra’s family cultivated 300 plantains and harvested 280 bunches of bananas, and she sold all those bunches of bananas for a net amount of Rs.56000/- Mrs. Chandra repaid the loan amount of Rs.20000/-, after meeting other expenses she got a profit of Rs.20000/- Now the family’s economic status has increased. Thus Mrs. Chandra’s famly has learned to flourish economically through intelligent and proper investment.
MILK ANIMAL MADE THE LIFE INDEPENDENCE (LIVESTOCK)
Mrs. Stella Bai is a member of Yamunai SHG, Sirumanvilai village, Kulasekaram Divi-sion. She is a helpless widow with a 9 year old daughter. Her brother has provided simple lodging to Mrs. Stella Bai. She was unable to meet the educational and other expenses of her daughter. Her dependence on her brother filled her mind with insecurity and sadness. However she saved a minimal amount regularly in the SHG, by borrowing money and by doing some menial work. In this despicable situation the TSA-ICEP Field Organizer timely introduced her to the possibilities of being benefitted through the self income generating activities by using Micro Credit.
Mrs. Stella Bai wisely availed the opportunity and took a loan of Its. 20000/- along with Rs. 5000/- from the SHG as an internal loan and bought a Dairy cow and started her milk selling business and she was guided by TSA-ICEP staff in this respect. Mrs. Stella Bai could get 10 liters of milk daily from cow and by selling the milk, she is in a position to repay the loan, meet the household expenses and her daughter educational expenses. She gets Its. 270/- per day, and out of this money, she spends Rs 120/- to take care her dairy cow and earn Rs 150/- as profit per day. Because her thriving milk business, she has gained financial independence and self confidence. The moral and financial support offered to Mrs. Stella. Bai, through the TSA-CH-DP has helped her to get rid of her deprived and impecunious state of living.
FROM PHYSICAL SPACE TO EMOTIONAL AND SPIRITUAL SPACE (GOVT. WELFARE SCHEMES)
Mrs. Sunitha is an active member and treasurer of Dalia SHG. Her coolie husband is the only bread winner for the family. Her family was struggling to meet both ends. Her elder daughter is doing her XII standard and the younger daughter is studying in X1 standard.
This poor family lives in a small but with a small room, kitchen and a toilet. The single room is highly inadequate to accommodate the grown up four members of the family. The children find in difficult and inconvenient to have a reasonable comfortable physical space for their studies. Even though all of them adjust their living within the available space, they experience great inconvenience and difficulty.
After having come to know about the Government welfare schemes especially regard-ing free housing scheme, Mrs. Sunitha applied for a free house. But the government did not heed Mrs. Sunitha’s request and as a result her family did not get a free house. So she shared her disappointment and the situation with the Dalia SHG members during a group meeting. The field Organizer understood the gravity of this issue and took Mrs. Sunitha’s case to the kind attention of the Panchayat President. Along with the field Organizer Mrs. Sunitha met the Block Development Officer (BDO) and presented her situation and requested the BDO for a quick redress and speedy action in this regard. The consistent efforts made of Mrs. Sunitha with the support of the SHG, brought a fruitful answer, the government sanctioned Mrs. Sunitha’s family house and a toilet through Government INDIRA housing scheme in April 2014. The physical space with comforts provided to them, has emotionally librated Mrs. Sunitha’s family and now they live their life with joy and dignity.
EDUCATION EMPOWERS THE LIFE OF THE POOR
Mrs.Prema lives at Zion Nagar, Palayankottai Division with her husband Mr.Muthuraj and two daughters and one son. Her husband is working as a self employed electrician. Mrs.Prema is an efficient home maker. Mrs.Prema joined as a member in the Harry SHG, Zion Nagar and this SHG facilitated by TSA-ICEP. At present Mrs. Prema is the treasurer of this SHG. Mrs.Prema’s eldest daughter Miss Bala Fancy was doing her 4th year B.sc Nursing in 2012, and in the same period her second daughter Miss. Ratnakala has successfully completed her B B A and her son Mr. Baskar was a student in the 12 class. In this period as they had already borrowed a heavy loan to meet the educational expense of her eldest daughter’s education, the family was in need of some more money to meet the educational expense of her third son, due to these reasons the family found it very difficult to educate Mrs. Prema’s second daughter Miss. Ratnakala. On account of this difficult situation the family was in a great confusion. In this context Miss.Ratnakala attended a life skill education training conducted by the TSA ICEP and she got the training and ideas to plan for her future in this life skill education training programme and so Miss. Ratnakala told her parents about her wish to continue her higher studies.
In this connection Miss. Ratnakala’s parents got a loan of Rs.25000/- from the Self Help Group and with the help of that money Miss. Ratnakala joined her MBA in the M.S. University again Mrs. Prema took Rs.20000/- and paid Miss. Ratnakala university fees. Thus her first year entire fee was paid. By the time Miss. Ratnakala finished her first year MBA her sister Miss. Bala Fancy finished her B.Sc Nursing successfully and joined as a nurse at Galaxy hospital, Tirunelveli for a monthly salary of Rs.8000/- with the help of Miss. Bala Fancy’s, earning Mrs.Prema started to repay the bank loan.
To pay the second year MBA educational fee of Miss. Ratnakala, Mrs. Prema got a loan of Rs.40000/- from the SHG and paid the fee. In 2014 she finished her MBA course successfully. Miss. Ratnakala had seen applying for jobs in various companies for nearly 4 months and finally with the help of TSA ICEP staff she came to know that there was a vacancy in the Shelton Company and so she applied for the job and she was invited for an interview. She did well in the interview and she was selected and given 2 months training. She successfully completed the training and now Miss. Ratnakala is working as manager in that Shelton Company, Vallioor. Under her control now 250 persons are working and she gets Rs.6000/- as monthly salary and with the help of this money Mrs.Prema is repaying the SHG loan regularly. Moreover Ratnakala takes tuition to school children and earns Rs.1500/- month.
Thus TSA-ICEP changed economic and social status of Mrs. Prema and her children. The experience, Miss. Ratnakala is gaining in Shelton, will definitely help her to get better and enviable job in the future. Mrs. Prema and her children gratefully salute TSA-ICEP.