Despite its wide range of services and customer-friendly products,
the core essence of the Bandhan's Micro Finance program is high
degree of community particiaption through the formation and Development
of SHGs. These SHGs serve the purpose of integrated development
of the society, and play the pivotal role to implement various social
development schemes in very convenient way.
Savings
Product
Bandhan took up the policy of Savings mobilization with the objective
of building up savings practice of the group members on the one
hand and generating a community-fund for capital on the other. Savings
would in the long run help the group members implement their income
generating activities by creating capital and investment. Each member
saves a fixed amount on weekly basis. This savings is mandatory
in nature. A certain rate of interest is paid on the accumulated
yearly. Members have access to withdrawn as per their need from
the 2nd year of their membership.
Credit Product
Bandhan has developed a loan product attuned to the needs of its
clientele. These products and the terms at which they are lent were
developed through a detailed market study in consultation with the
SHG, and as per the consultation of the governing Body. These products
are flexible and responsive to the changing needs of the members.
The loans are taken by the groups to meet the diverse needs of their
members based on collective decision.
Loan
Product
|
Loan
Size Rs. 1000
Loan Term
Service Charge |
-
10000 (US$ 20 - 200)
- One Year
- 17.50% |
Insurance
Service
Bandhan's have a loan insurance facility for the borrowers. In case
of a borrower's death the nominee is not required to pay the outstanding
amount.
Other Services
Bandhan strongly believes that micro finance does not end with delivery
of credit. It encompasses a whole range of services, both financial
and non-financial, for clientele development as well as sustainable
growth of the organization itself.
Since the inception of Bandhan, training has been considered as
one of the most important strategies to build the capacity of the
organization. A well-known feature of Bandhan training is its participatory
nature, which is learner-centred, problem focused, need-oriented,
promoting individual involvement and group interactions. The training
modules are developed from the perspective of the participants'
needs. These courses are continuously upgraded to meet the changing
and emerging needs of the programs of the NGOs. The training resource
persons have extensive field experience from India and abroad.

MF
Program at a Glance
Particulars
|
Achievement
|
No.
of Office |
3 |
Districts
|
Hooghly,
Howrah & 24 Pgs. (N) |
SHGs
|
73 |
Membership
|
799 |
Savings
Mobilize ( Million) |
Rs.
0.33 (US$ 6937) |
Loan
Disbursement (Million) |
Rs. 0.40 (US$ 8333) |
Realization
Rate |
100% |
Education Program at a Glance
Particulars
|
Achievement
|
School |
2 |
Students
Enrolment |
50 |
Capacity Building Program at a Glance
Bandhan
organized training and workshops on micro credit at the request
of 10 development organizations ( ie, CARE, Indian Institute of
Training and Development (IITD), Help Age India & Sri Mayapur
Vikas Shangha (SMVS) etc.) Senior level functionaries, Staffs and
Leaders of 10 NGOs, 442 participated in 23 courses. Alternative
development strategy through women empowerment, building up their
organization, creation of local resources etc. The NGOs got clarity
and many of them started forming Self-Help Groups.
· Bandhan successfully organized a eight days long exposure
visit program in Bangladesh with 8 participants of CARE staffs and
partners for experience sharing with two MFIs (ASA & BRAC) of
Bangladesh and one Credit forum organization.
· 3 workshops and 5 training events were organized by CASHE
where faculty members of BANDHAN joined as resource persons.
· 5-batch training organized in the Bangalpur mahila cooperative
credit society limited by the financial help of CARE-WB. This program
will have continued up to May 2002 with more 5 batches.
· Organized training in micro finance in two phases-on social
aspects like stages of group development, services & products,
leadership, records, group dynamics, delinquency management, linkages
etc. The second phase covered accounts keeping, formatting, MIS,
Business development planning etc.
Developing the system of some NGOs, meanwhile SMVS, Seva Sangha,
HDC etc.
· Executive Director of Bandhan participated "International
Commonwealth Grameen Dialogue Program" at Grameen Bank, Bangladesh
from 27th July to 8th August 2002 for Grameen replication in West
Bengal, India with the financial and technical assistance of Grameen
Trust.
Projects: ASA (Bangladesh)-BANDHAN Collaboration Project

Description
ASA-Bangladesh - one of the largest sustainable MFI and Bandhan
as made an agreement on 31st March 2002 duly signed by Managing
Director of ASA and Executive Director of Bandhan at central office
of ASA in Dhaka.
As per this agreement ASA will provide all kinds of technical assistance
to this project primarily for one year.
Aim of the joint collaboration is to establish cost effective and
sustainable micro-Credit model suitable for West Bengal and in the
other part of India with slight modification.
As a technical support ASA will provide two skilled senior personnel
of regional manager's level grade, who have 8 to 10 years experience
in ASA micro-Credit operation.
The senior one will be responsible to train the local staff, developed
working manual, MIS & FIS, accounting, record-keeping &
reporting and monitoring & supervision. Another one will act
as a branch manager and will be responsible for day to day management
of the branch.
The purpose of this collaboration is not only develop the materials
and system only, the team will train the local staffs and will make
them fully skilled in Micro Finance operation including delinquency
management, Financial Management, and achieving sustainability.
Beside these two personnel, four follow-up consultancy visits will
be done by General Manager and Consultant of ASA. In each visit,
they will spend 7 days and will properly guide the team and local
staff as well.
The Managing Director of ASA will monitor the programs and will
pay two visits during the project period. The ASA-Bandhan team will
also provides some technical assistance to the other partners of
SIDBI in West Bengal.
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