Women Empowerment | Amhi Amchya Arogyasathi

Since 1990

Empowering Women, Transforming Communities

Gender is a mainstay of AAA's work. We firmly believe that while gender is often perceived as favoring women's rights, it goes beyond women — men and women face different situations that oblige them to acquire different capacities. Since 1990, we have been organizing women in Gadchiroli and Chandrapur districts into Self-Help Groups.

Today, 6,133 women are organized, with 114 WSHGs achieving NABARD "A" level credit linkage. A self-organization of 100 WSHGs with 1,231 members borrows annually from banks with 100% repayment. Additionally, 1,800+ women have been supported in kitchen gardening and 1,680 households supported for entrepreneurship.

7 Van Dhan Vikas Kendras promote collective marketing of NTFPs. Over 6,000 families participate in tendu leaf auctions, boosting income for local Gram Sabhas. Women also receive support in goatery (555 HH), poultry (500), fishery (312 HH), and piggeries (94).

Key Interventions

How We Empower

Financial Inclusion

SHG formation, savings mobilization, and credit linkage with nationalized banks through NABARD grading system.

Literacy & Numeracy

Health services, literacy, numeracy, and personality development training for women members.

Micro-Enterprise Support

Financial and business support for micro-enterprises, enabling women to build sustainable income sources.

Federation Building

Organizing women into cluster, block, and district-level federations for collective bargaining and governance participation.

Gramsabha Participation

Building awareness and confidence for women to participate actively in Gramsabha, MGNREGS monitoring, and public service oversight.

Anti-Harassment

Addressing women harassment through community awareness, legal literacy, and building support systems within SHG networks.

Milestones

Key Accomplishments

Emerging community leaders and social activists from the staff and SHG members

Channelizing women's initiatives in socio-economic and political uplift through the self-help group movement

Capacity building of community-based organizations for implementation of their rights for a life with dignity

Community recognition for local health traditions, natural resource management, and community-based rehabilitation for PwDs

Partner villages advancing towards establishing local self-governance with integrity and influence over state and union government

Regional campaign and network initiation on issues of concern, and building resource support groups including media engagement

100 WSHGs with 1,231 members in a self-organization federation, representing a new level of women's collective empowerment