LEAD
works for the betterment of backward, socially excluded,
poor women, who face numerous problems which include indebtedness,
low incomes, lack of savings, illiteracy, poor hygiene
etc. LEAD has formed small groups of these women in rural
villages and has initiated need based programmes through
these groups. The groups have been federated to pool the
collective strength of the women and also to ensure sustainability
of operations.
The main programmes are savings for resource mobilisation
and credit for the smoothening of consumption needs, production,
assets purchase and working capital. The development of
women's leadership potential, participatory approaches,
awareness building, encouragement of local decision making
and people driven programmes, are contributing towards
building strong, vibrant, sustainable grass root level
institutions. Group based savings mechanisms have provided
a channel for mobilising the small savings of poor women.
Flexible and need based credit has resulted in a high
rotation of funds. There has been a noticeable increase
in the savings, income and assets of the families involved.
There has been reduced dependence on moneylenders. Many
women have started new micro businesses. Credit at their
doorstep has reduced their transaction costs. They have
been brought into mainstream banking through the linkage
of groups with financial institutions. Banks now regard
such groups as responsible users of credit.
LEAD and Micro Finance
More than 200 NGOs trained by LEAD in these
best practices are replicating the same in
various parts of South India.
LEAD
works for the betterment of backward, socially excluded,
poor women, who face numerous problems which include indebtedness,
low incomes, lack of savings, illiteracy, poor hygiene
etc. LEAD has formed small groups of these women in rural
villages and has initiated need based programmes through
these groups. The groups have been federated to pool the
collective strength of the women and also to ensure sustainability
of operations. 