BIRDS Women Empowerment Program
Empowerment of women is a socio-economic process that enables women to realize their rights and potential to assert their equal access to and control over resources (social, political, material, human and intellectual) and factors which affect their lives. Empowerment essentially entails the transformation of the structure of institutions that reinforce and perpetuate gender discrimination. The principle of gender equality is enshrined in the Indian Constitution in its Preamble, Fundamental Rights, Fundamental Duties and Directive Principles. Equality for women includes the right to live, the right to live with dignity, the right to a sense of self-worth; the right to have and to determine choices; right to have access to opportunities and resources; right to have the power to control their own lives both within and outside the home; and their ability to influence the direction of social change to create more just social and economic order. The Sustainable Development Goals are committed to gender equality in all scopes of life. The Karnataka State Women’s Empowerment Policy derives its principles from the Constitution of India and is aligned with Sustainable Development Goals. But its implementation is not in a systematic way, or many of the needy people are not on the list of the Government. It is because of the lack of these people’s identity.
BIRDS organisation was started for two main areas and one among them is women empowerment programs. Around 3000 women are associated with BIRDS for livelihood programs.
Objectives
To organize women into self-help groups and develop their leadership inequalities to facilitate making decisions at personal and social levels.
Challenges
Lack of self-awareness, Illiteracy, Untouchability, Unemployment.
Actions
• Micro Finance assistance
• Capacity building and Leadership Training Activity
• Income generation program and entrepreneurship support
• Skill trainings
• Awareness programmes on domestic violence and women rights
• Women federation
• Promoting thrift and credit programmes
Self-Help Groups (SHGs)
A self-help group is a small group of 15 to 20 people who have come together to support one another. It is an informal group of people who have made the decision to meet together to look for solutions to better their living circumstances.
Stages of SHG
•SHG Formation
•Receiving clear orientation and proper training
•Develop the abilities needed for the acts that generate income
•Connection and obtaining a bank loan
•Establish a small business to earn money
•Meet the needs of the group and make savings
Total SHGs of BIRDS
BIRDS is successfully carrying that Self-Help Groups program for the past two decades. We have faced many internal and external difficulties and overcame from that. Currently, BIRDS is holding 32 Self-Help Groups totally and make them as self-sustainable.
Support of Jesuiten Weltwent
As India is moving towards stardom on the one hand on the other side, we see a bleak side of our country in the urban slums. The conditions of the slum areas in Bangalore metropolitan cities have deteriorated to such an extent due to the high density of population that the people there hardly enjoy even the basic amenities.
So, our BIRDS organization has received support from the Jesuiten Weltweit. We aim to eliminate and solve poor socio-economic conditions and political problems, poor livelihood options are the most pressing of all other problems in the project area. Lack of empowerment programs, vocational programs, and income generation programs are root causes that prevent the women group from alternative livelihood opportunities. This project aims to address the social issues of marginalized women residing in villages and slums of the North Bangalore region by making use of their potential to find solutions to their problems and to help many others in their locality realize their power through empowerment programs.
The BIRDS organization has a total of 52 Self-Help Groups in its operational zones, both urban and rural. We are working with Guardian Souharda Sahakari Bank, HDFC Bank, and other finance agencies work together to implement several programs given above, including the distribution of SHG micro-credit loans. Then, we planned to carry out these SHG activities in a wide range of locations, thus we were able to effectively establish new SHG groups where women from marginalized populations reside. Along with the help and collaboration of the bank, we also provided loans in the sum of Rs. 92,15,672 for those newly established Self-Help Groups in the last two years.
Following the loan payments, BIRDS made a monthly field visit to monitor the SHGs’ development and function. We can recover the loan EMI and gather the group funds when we visit SHGs. BIRDS recovered a total amount of Rs. 30,93,403 in loans from self-help groups, all of which got loans. All SHG loan funds were deposited with a trustworthy bank that also kept precise records and produced timely reports and documentation.
SHG Meetings
SHG Loan Distributions
SHG Entrepreneurship Programs
Women Entrepreneurs through SHGs
Tailoring Training Program
BIRDS always give prime consideration to the self-reliance of women. By giving different trainings in that Tailoring Training Program is one. This program is done for the poor and SC/ST, rag pickers, migrants, and street pickers and also other people those who are the BPL card holders, this free tailoring training program is conducted in BIRDS campus for two months. On 4th of November 2019 BIRDS has collaborated with the HM Sambava Foundation and started the tailoring training class, for the inauguration there were 27 people. This tailoring training is helpful for the women to maintain their daily basic needs without depending on anyone. So BIRDS collaborated with LabourNet to empower women community and make them as self-sustain.
Stitching
- 1. All the different parts of cloth labelled as e.g.: Neck, sleeves part Hip portion, shoulder attachment.
- 2. The same process will be thought for different designs and various patterns of cloth-making for four months.
- 3. During the training period, students are made to stitch Eco bags, Mask under learning & easing scheme with weekly payments. After 4 months of successful completion, students will be given a certificate by BIRDS organization.
Paper bag making Program
Paper bag making training is given to the people especially to the self-help group rag pickers, migrants, and street pickers and also other people those who have the BPL card holders.
Placement opportunities:
Interested candidates who want to make tailoring as their carrier will be placed in Boutique Shop. Women can earn from home by stitching clothes or going for work to Garments Factory Trainee, who are financially capable can open tailoring shops.
The following are the syllabus for the tailoring classes
1. Characteristics of differen of clothes and various fabrics.
2. Hemming & button stitching, hook attachment, basic embroidery.
3. Training is given for stitching on the machine with a cloth and various types of stitching and made the students practice and to have control over the stitching method for one week.
AGARBATTI PACKING
BIRDS given primary importance to the marginalized community and financially backward women for the self – sustainable and livelihood activities. Agarbatti packing has been a source of income for the women folks for the last 24 years. Women even at the age of 75 can work without any difficulty.
