Anisha.org.in
FOLLOW US
  • Home
    • About
    • History
    • Socio-economic Background
    • Concept
    • Achievements
    • Staff
  • Programs
    • Organic Farming Trainings
    • Kitchen Gardens for landless families
    • Research and Conservation
    • Self-Help Groups
    • Income Generation
    • Marketing
  • Kitchengardens for students
  • Native Seeds
  • Special Challenges
  • Recognitions
  • Rural Tourism
  • Youth
  • Progress and Reports
  • Donate
  • Contact
    • Location and Directions
Self-Help Groups
​Both men and women's regular credit and saving groups are continuing to meet regularly.  These groups are self-administered, they work on their own, if they need help, Anisha's staff steps in. In 2022 Anisha organised an exposure trip for women to Mysore to visit the Chamundiswari Temple and the Palace of Mysore. For most women ist was the first trip to that famous town which is 110 kms away from Anisha. In 2021, at the height of the Corona Pandemic, when medicine was needed, more loans were taken out than planned. So Anisha replenished the kitty and gave each family a sheep from which to rear some offspring to sell in the future. 

How it started 

Picture
Perianayagiammal, one of Anisha's staff members, keeps track of weekly community savings collected at a self-help group meeting.
Anisha works in 20 villages and runs community self-help groups in 14 of these. Each group consists of 10-20 members, generally either all women or all men. (See above women of different villages in saris of different colour.) In these  groups, farmers and women are able to share their farming and gardening experiences with each other, trade seeds, provide support and advice on applying organic techniques, and encourage each other as they move away from dependency on chemical practices to complete independence of costly external factors. 

The groups also run a credit & savings programme, something very popular in Asia.  At each meeting, members give a small amount of money, which a group representative deposits in a local bank.  In this way, members are able to start building some fiscal security to help them get out of debt or save for emergencies or big purchases. Anisha is also providing a revolving fund to help set up micro-enterprises. Repayment morale is very good - the fund is run by the women themselves, who also decide who will receive a loan.


Picture
The self-help groups meet in common spaces in neighborhoods throughout Martalli.
Picture
Little children often accompany their mothers to the women's groups.

OTHER PROGRAM AREAS

Picture
ORGANIC FARMING TRAININGS
Picture
NATIVE SEED BANK
Picture
KITCHEN GARDENS
Picture
INCOME GENERATION

   Home               Programs                 Special Projects               Native Seeds              Rural Tourism              Donate               Contact

MAILING ADDRESS: Anisha . Kadabur Village . Odaradotti . Martalli Post . Kollegal Taluk . Pin Code 571444 . Chmarajnagar District . Karnataka State . India
E-MAIL: [email protected]    .    PHONE: (91) 9448872207

@Website, videos and photos by Myra Margolin.  Additional design by Osanna Favre and additional photos by Anisha, the Human Force Volunteer Camp, Renee Zimmer
and  Aminah Herrman. Updates Renee Zimmer and Valli Krishnaswamy, eMail Renee: [email protected]