Income generating programmes for rural women - examining the role of NGOs
Premchander, S.
Small Enterprise Development 5(1): 14-20
1994
Document Number: 336059
Increasing women's incomes does not just benefit the women themselves but also raises the nutritional and educational status of their families. This article compares two approaches to raising women's incomes: the employment approach, whereby women are employed in a production unit owned and run by an NGO; and the empowerment approach, which involves forming village groups and developing self-confidence, and enabling women to increase their incomes through collective action and group savings. While larger increases in income can sometimes be generated by the employment approach, this article suggests that the empowerment approach is less dependent on outside funds, and creates a sense of self-confidence in the women involved. The need for micro-enterprises for women cannot be overstated, as they help improve the lives of rural women with a low economic status. NGOs recognize this and support the formation of miro-enterprises. The impact on the lives of women differs, depending upon the approach taken by the NGO.