Morung Express Feature
Tuensang | January 14
The Eleutheros Christian Society (ECS) in Tuensang district is giving a whole new meaning to social work by empowering the people, especially women, through its activities. Among the varied programs they undertake, the formation of women Self Help Groups (SHG) and the Edou Bank, a ‘Farmers Cooperative Saving’ deserves attention and study.
A visit to Tuensang district today will show confident ‘housewives’ with a bank account, contributing more now to the society through SHGs. There are 607 registered SHGs covering over 91 villages in Tuensang district with a total saving of Rs. 2, 98, 26, 142, disclosed T Asong, the coordinator of the ECS Micro Finance Project. The SHGs are so successful that the Chang Baptist Churches Association, the Khaimniuangan Baptist churches Association, the Sangtam Baptist Churches Association and Yimchunger Baptist Churches Association have decided to be Project Partners with the Eleutheros Christian Society.
Besides, with regard to microfinance, there are 177 group investors under 15 Edou Cooperatives under Tuensang district and one each in Mokokchung and Zunheboto with a total saving of more than two crore rupees.
“We go to the villages, give trainings and encourage the villagers to form SHGs,” said the Coordinator of ECs Microfinance, T Ason.
“Now, we are happy to see that the womenfolk are dressing well, managing their family and business well. We see them more confident now; now they have a voice,” said Ason while adding that the works of the ECS are a success because of the support from every section of society, especially the husbands, the churches and also the Village Council.
Nonetheless, the success story of the SHGs and Edou Bank in Tuensang has attracted people from other districts and also from other states who come to study the working system of microfinance, as well as the SHGs. There are reports of villages in other districts starting microfinance projects, like Longsa village under Mokokchung and another village in Zunheboto district.
The SHGs have also taught the womenfolk about the importance of business and how to market their agricultural produce.
“Earlier when we visited villages, the villagers would give us a lot of things like vegetables and other handicrafts for free; but now everything goes to the market,” explained Ason.
Some women from the SHGs said they have nothing to but gratitude for the Eleutheros Christian Society for their social work.
Akanglebla, a mother who was at the ECS office, and who runs a shop, disclosed how her life changed after she became an SHG member.
“Earlier, we used to sit at home and not produce anything. We were dependent on our husbands only. But now we can supplement the family income and uplift our family economy,” said Akanglebla adding that she opened the shop after taking a loan from the SHG.
Her friend Tsapichemla, a member of another SHG also commented, “We are empowered now, we are in the front, to stand and also to participate in different activities. We are now more enlightened to give proper education to our children, to serve our husbands better as we have learnt more through participating in SHG activities.”
But the ECS is empowering the women not only through economic improvements, but also undertaking many other programs like HIV/AIDS, Water & Sanitation, livelihood intervention etc.
Tides are changing in the Tuensang society. Perhaps one day, the success story of ECS in their social work will bring rich dividends and be a model for empowering the rural population through the empowering of women.
