Objectif France - Inde
Objectif France - Inde
Working on sustainable development in India
Women Empowerment
How to overcome social challenges?
Women face numerous challenges related to social prejudices that affect their daily lives. The situation of Indian women remains considered one of the most difficult in the world, particularly in rural areas: arranged marriages, illiteracy, alcoholism, and abuse. In many communities, the role of women is primarily limited to taking care of the family and household chores.
Empowering them to achieve financial independence and the recognition they deserve is crucial to addressing these challenges in our society.
Our actions
OFI has implemented several programs aimed at making women more independent and promoting their role within their communities :
creation of self-help groups (SHG - Self Help Groups and JLG – Joint Liability Group),
access to microcredit and assistance with entrepreneurship,
environmental preservation,
preservation of craft traditions.
CURRENT PROJECTS
Support groups:
the “STEP for Women” projects
"WomenRISE"
and “SAKHI”
OFI is working with its partners SEVAI and Kalvi Kendra in Tamil Nadu and Vonisha in Bangalore to support the social, economic and personal development of women by creating or reactivating self-help groups (SHG, 12 members, or, and JLG, 5 members).
These groups aim to obtain microcredit and develop income-generating activities. In addition to improving the economic situation, a broader positive impact is observed within families and society.
Participants are introduced to the importance of saving by opening a joint bank account, to which they must all contribute monthly. The women can lend each other money through this account, and repayments are recorded in a tracking booklet.
General training is provided to groups:
Entrepreneurship,
Personal development,
Health and hygiene,
Financial management.
For certain groups, more specialized training is provided:
Professional training,
Computer training.
After the various training courses, some of which allow participants to obtain a diploma recognized by the government , they have access to a bank microcredit.
12,000 groups have been formed involving 170,000 women.
Entrepreneurship: economic activities
The mutual aid programs provided by OFI and its partner NGOs enable women in disadvantaged rural areas to acquire skills and engage in income-generating activities. They have the opportunity to create individual or collective activities according to their wishes, in the field of their choice:
manufacturing of banana products, jute bags, pottery, towels, coconut products, summer food products, bark plates
fulture of jasmine, flower petals, rice, bananas, korai grass,
mat weaving, artisanal weaving,
breeding of goats, cows, sheep,
aesthetic.
Public banks and the government play a key role in these programs. They provide low-interest, government-subsidized microloans. Loan and repayment monitoring is strictly monitored by OFI-funded social workers. They submit financial reports to the banks based on specific evaluation criteria.
Women and the Environment:
"Land of Women"
The "Terre de Femmes" project trains women in environmental conservation and sustainable agriculture. It helps them fight against:
soil infertility: production of vermicompost and natural fertilizers;
water shortages: creation of reservoirs, rational use of water
climate change: tree planting;
The project involves 200 self-help groups (SHGs), involving more than 2,000 women. They receive training in agriculture, water management, composting, and reforestation. They have access to microcredit and management training.
Preserving craft traditions:
the “Kalakari” Project
With the collaboration of local partners SEVAI, GRAMIUM and Kalvi Kendra, the “Kalakari” project was launched to address the challenges of women’s empowerment and the preservation of craft traditions.
150 women are trained each year.
This ambitious project aims to:
train in various traditional trades,
preserve local know-how by emphasizing artisanal techniques such as carpet weaving, embroidery, textiles and textile recycling,
promote ethical craft practices by supporting access to fair markets to ensure that craft products are valued at their fair value, while respecting ethical and sustainable standards,
create entrepreneurship opportunities by encouraging women to become entrepreneurs, providing them with the tools and support needed to launch and develop their own micro-enterprises,
to make women agents of change by strengthening their capacities to enable them to become leaders in their communities, and thus contribute to a lasting positive impact.
