Self Help Groups and women-folk of Tripura

Jyotsna Chakma, a bubbling housewife of Aandercherah in North Tripura District has found a new meaning of life after she formed a Self Help Group along with 10 other women of the village. ‘Thanks to my hubby’, she tells as she attributes her tryst with the SHG was made possible owing to unending support from her husband during struggling period. Involved with weaving ethnic attire, Jyotsna’s SHG, Junan, have started jhum cultivation using modern techniques. 

A divorcee with no children, Kalpana Sinha grabbed the opportunity to form a SHG and found a meaningful way to lead a decent life. Kalpana, a resident of Sukanta Nagar under Kumarghat in North Tripura District, and her group members have diversified group’s activities largely. Starting with tailoring and weaving cloths, the group named as Gayatri SHG is now involved with small-scale vegetable cultivation, animal husbandry and milk production. While speaking on her plan, she disclosed her intention to produce bio-fertilizer. Jyotsna and Kalpana are just two of the more than 3.6 lakh people associated with SHGs.

The volunteers of the ProMASS Media Research Group are conducting a survey to understand the social and economic impact of SHGs, particularly on women, in Tripura. Though, the survey is yet to be completed, here we present a brief observation of our volunteers.

In the backdrop backwardness and ethnic conflict that raged Tripura for more than two decades, it is observed that SHG movement has opened doors of opportunities to under-privileged women of the State. Through formation of SHGs, women-folk got a chance to transform themselves from ‘non-economic’ entities to economic agents. Narrating the impact of SHG, Ms Lalita Sinha, a woman Panchayat Pradhan commented, women are now moving out of their homes and even villages. This gives them an exposure and an opportunity to interact with various persons including officials. Certainly, such exposure along with business activities has made the women-folk smarter and conscious about their rights. ProMASS activists observed that SHG members get exposure through fairs, training and workshop. A social identity and ending of isolation from the main society are just two of many other social benefits accrued to women of Tripura due to SHG movement. Stay tuned for more on this issue………