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Experience is the Best Teacher: Hilauli’s SHG members show the way

Experiential learning stays with a learner for life. It is an extremely vigorous form of absorbing which entrenches itself in the way a person thinks. Experiential learning is not peripheral; it has a depth to its process that sinks in, in a way that theoretical learning cannot achieve. It is this form of learning that is disseminated in a horizontal manner from member to member throughout RGMVP’s Self Help Group (SHG) platforms in Uttar Pradesh.

“Knowledge is continuously derived from and tested out in the experiences of the learner” (Kolb, 1984:27)[1]. In the application of each new experience the individual learner draws from past knowledge and practice, which is then combined with the new experience which leads to a modification in behaviour. This expands the knowledge base of the practitioner, and this knowledge can be further utilized in varied situations.

During the monthly Block Organisation meeting in Hilauli Office bearers at the block level wanted to know from all those present, their own experience of working in the field and how they saw the SHG platforms evolving.

Madhuri an office bearer herself started recounting the experience from her own village Bardaha. She said that although there were many active SHGs in her village it was only a few members who were stepping up and taking loans, other members were holding back as they did not know what to expect. Shanti an SHG member took out money to buy a goat. Within a year the Goat had given birth to four calves, taking Shanti’s fleet of goats to five, through this she was able to pay back her loan easily. Seeing Shanti’s success Ritu a member of Shanti’s SHG gained confidence. Ritu who at first was reluctant to take out money for the purpose of livelihood took courage form Santi’s experience and has now decided that in the next mela (fair) she will buy a buffalo, and use this as a medium to enhance her livelihood.

Similarly Mamta was one of the few who had taken out money from her SHG for livelihood. Mamta had rented a piece of land in her village. She first planted mustard, and wheat, and as soon as the wheat and mustard harvesting season is over Mamta plans to plant peppermint. In a short span Mamta will benefit from the profits of three crops. Deshpati a member of Mamta’s SHG was inspired by Mamta’s experience, she has now taken out Rs. 15,000 from her SHG account to rent a piece of land to practice small scale agriculture.

Active SHG members in Hilauli are taking charge and through their own experience they are inspiring other women to take out money and invest it in income generating activities. Ritu and Deshpati prove that experiencing others achievements is the best ‘teacher’. This is an ever evolving process as it stimulates others to join who bring their own experiences to the fold.

[1] Kolb D. A (1984), Experiential Learning: Experience as the source of learning and development, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Lasting Impressions

Two years back, when Kate James, the Chief Communication Officer, Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation(BMGF)told her mother about Rajpati, the woman leader under the RGMVP’s community empowerment programme in India, Kate’s mother appreciated her. Kate felt very important at that time because her mother had not often acknowledged her accounts of meeting well known personalities or celebrities.

On February 21, 2013, two years later, she visited the RGMVP again, which is presently implementing a community mobilisation programme supported by Gates Foundation. She met and interacted with Rajpati and a group of 50 other women leaders in a Block Organization office in Lalganj Block, Raebareli district.

The women leaders of Kranti Block Organisation made a presentation on how their Organisation was able to double the outreach in the block in less than two years and as a resource organisation, nurtured four other blocks simultaneously. With a pride in the organisation and commitment towards organising other poor women around them, they explained their scale up strategy.

Kate and her team from BMGF were greatly impressed when they saw the confidence, enthusiasm and the power of articulation of the women leaders. They were the very women, who were in the clutches of poverty and subjugated to all sort of social barriers until two years ago but were today beaming with success and the incredible spirit of voluntarism.

Kate was eager to hear from Rajpati about the developments in her life. Rajpati briefed her that while she used to take care of just one or two blocks two years back, currently she is associated with the whole programme. She explained how she now devotes her entire time in spreading the concept and building the capacity of women for further mobilisation and nurturing leadership. Rajpati clearly shared her vision of how in the next two years, the programme would be scaled up to cover the entire state.

Kate said that she once again felt very important and proud that she could visit and interact with the women from the community, the real testimony to development.

( Kate James with the leaders from the community)

A Visitor's Message

Rajiv Gandhi Mahila Vikas Pariyojana’s mission to reduce rural poverty and create empowerment receives constant support, encouragement and guidance from expert economist, policy makers and ‘heroes’ of rural development programmes. One such visit was of Mr. K. Raju, Joint Secretary, National Advisory Council (NAC), Government of India who toured our programme areas in the early days of October. His visit reinforced our belief to work towards reaching out to the ‘poorest of the poor’ population and benefit them. Winding up his visit with an interaction with the Programme team and Regional Programme Managers of the organization at its mission office in Rae Bareli, he shared his observation, experiences and vision for development. Mr. Raju’s message for the programme functionaries in the mission to ‘sow the seeds of empowerment’ was to make the poor see the possibilities of change and help them come out of the ‘burden of silence’ and hopelessness. He urged them to expand, in his words ‘a menu of possibilities’ to instill the lost self-belief of the poor. 

Lauding the organization in its conviction on the innate capabilities of the poor people by giving complete charge to the community, he suggested the creation of greater social capital to sustain the community institutions. Cautioning the programme functionaries on the fall out of the ‘poorest of the poor’ (POP), Mr. K. Raju advised them to focus on the POP and bring them in to the front line leadership position by developing their confidence. The confidence building measures amongst would require time and patience, however by creating successful ‘change agents’ amongst the poorest of the poor, models for replication and emulation can be created for a community. 

He inspired the functionaries to ‘walk with’ and ‘stand by’ the change- agents in securing the government rights and entitlements. Most importantly, he urged the functionaries and team to constantly respond to the dreams of the Poorest of the Poor.

Vinya's Story

Vinya is a woman from a tribal background, residing amidst a forest in Babina, Jhansi. She did not know where to go for work. Her family had no property, no food, no employment and no money. Her husband used to go in search of work and she used to stay hungry for days. It was painful and she often had to tie a cloth around her stomach to reduce the pain. They tried working for the local landlords but they did not get employed as they had no equipment to work. Her husband borrowed some money from the local 'shahukar' to buy food.

She finally joined a Self Help Group (SHG) and borrowed money at a very low interest rate. She first borrowed Rs. 3000/- and paid back the 'shahukar'. She then bought 9 goats within 10 months of joining the SHG. After paying back for the goats, she borrowed Rs. 25,000/- and opened a small shop and a soft drinks business at the roadside where she lives. She generated good income with that and later she borrowed Rs. 10,000/- more and bought a second hand bike for her husband, who now takes care of the shop.

In a span of one year, Vinya is now able to do a business with 45 goats. She is well off and takes good care of her daughter who has a small baby.She also has a son who wishes to pursue higher studies.

Vinya has not only progressed financially, but has also become confident of herself and her abilities! She is the President of the Village Organization and travels across districts to address various meetings to encourage more women like her to organize themselves into Self Help Groups.