Self-Employment and Income Generating Program
Employment and Income Generation Program (EIG) is one of the major programs and an important initiative of the integrated development approach of Anando. This program has been undertaken by Anando to make the poor people economically self-reliant and help them to attain a respectable social standing. The program includes training to
beneficiaries on simple accounting and basic financial management, identification and management of income generating projects, and mobilizing group savings to Revolving Loan Fund (RLF) for expanded income generation of the target people. Anando wants to ensure economic self-sufficiency of the poor women by involving them in income generating activities at household level and by empowering them socially and economically. This program is not
only for income but also to restore women’s right both in their family and in community.
GROUP SAVINGS
The women member must meet once every fortnight for development dialogue and must maintain individual savings by passbook entry in the bank through Anando. The minimum amount of fortnightly savings is Tk. 20. This savings is used as the guarantee receiving loan. These savings are revolved as credit among the group members (if needed) with certain interest rate. The following table-5 shows the area wise status of total group savings at the end of the year 2016.
EMPLOYMENT & INCOME GENERATION (EIG)
Along with credit support Anando provides different types of skill development training and marketing support to the women beneficiaries of the credit program. In order to receive credit each group member, who wants credit, is required to apply to Anando with consents from all other group members. The executive members of the samity screen the application and forward it to Anando for further action. After verifying the application it approves loan
with due information through the executive committee of samity. The cheque is disbursed to the credit applicant through an awareness building session with the participation of members of the same groups. Active participation of
samitymembers(EC) in credit management reduces staff involvement as well as the management cost.
Consequently, Anando can provide low cost credits to the poor with high realization rate.
While Anando prepares the group members for taking credit assistance, it also appraises the feasibility of the projects, provide support services to the credit receivers and takes responsibility to look after the project at various stages. Every group members is required to fulfill all criteria that include participation in relevant training and other input supports. Only by fulfilling these criteria a member becomes eligible for credit assistance from RLF to take the feasible income generating projects. The total group savings is Tk. 5,24,05,964 and total Revolving Loan Fund – RLF (including cumulative service charge) is Tk. 19,45,07,422 at the end of the year 2016.
Small credits of Tk. 5,000 to 50,000 are provided to the group members to invest in the income generating projects like salt cultivation, agricultural farming, and livestock rearing, homestead agriculture, small trading, fishing, cottage weaving, handicrafts making, rickshaw purchase, etc. Besides the Micro Credit Anando also providing Micro
Enterprise loan among the experienced members amounting to TK. 51,000 – 250,000. Through these activities the program is effectively helping poor people to increase employment and income that bring a positive change in their living conditions.