Model for the Success of Self-help Groups

Self-help group approach is the group based approach, to enable members to gain economic benefits out of mutual help, solidarity and social responsibility. Self-help groups (SHG) are instrumental in empowerment of women by enabling women to work together in collective agency. But all SHGs are not successful in taking up group enterprise. The main objective of this study was to analyse the working of SHG’s and develop a model for the success of SHGs. The study was conducted in Karnataka state during 2014-17 under All India Coordinated Research Project (Home Science Extension). From the entire state eight districts were randomly selected for the study. At the first stage from each district 50 SHGs were randomly selected and thus totally 400 SHGs (N = 400) were the sample for the study. Finally to develop the model information was collected from selected 32 SHGs which have taken up group enterprises. The model consists of eight stages starting from initiation and formation, growth and stability of the group, selection of an enterprise, project planning, mobilization of funds, project implementation and empowerment of women. The SHGs can be successful in taking up group enterprise when they go in a systematic way as given in the model. There is significant difference between the empowerment status of women before and after joining SHGs in case of all types of empowerment.