In our work area, the people are generally poor and dependent on subsistence cropping (on rainwater) as well as labor work in forestry in the region. Any social occasion, custom, illness, unemployment or drought pushes them to borrow from local money-lenders, often on high interest-rates or the family has to do away with their ornaments, land, cattle or other belongings. The debt-cycle and the needs keep them into perpetual poverty.

 
It was with the aim to help them come out of this debt-cycle and also to inculcate an interest and habit of savings, the savings and credit activity was started mainly among the women of the villages. This activity has now been going on in many villages through three of our mandals. The members attached to this activity deposit a small amount of money every month, which in turn is deposited into a bank account. The needy members have been advanced loans on easy terms and nominal interest-rate. The members also received interest accrued on their deposits. The workers of the above groups went into the villages and collected savings from the members, also when they were on their field visits. They also organized meetings with the members and other women to generate an interest and strengthen the activity. Following details give a picture of the activity during the year.
 

The organizations also give loans to women on their savings when they are in need. They are supported with the loan at nominal rate of interests (decided by the organization) compared to the exploitation by the moneylenders. This helped the organization in fulfilling two roles :( one) inculcating the habit of savings among women group, (two) providing loans at nominal interest preventing them from taking money from moneylenders.

  Women members are creating awareness among other women in forming savings groups
The initial deposit amount in the beginning was minimum twenty rupees and the maximum amount was rupees hundred.
    
These women were given passbook so that they can also know how much they have saved every month.
    
Even irregularities in the savings were caught and the women were asked and encouraged to go for continuous monthly savings. They deposit their money earned from mason work, selling milk and so on.
    
Training programmes were also arranged by DISHA for organizing meetings and workshops for the awareness among women.    

 
There was impact of the savings among women members:

Before the organization, women knew little about savings, but now with help of Disha these women formed women organization in every village and did their own savings.

It helped the women to become financially independent progress and support their family like monetary help for children’s education, treatments for illness, family functions..
 

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