What does RTU do? - 4. Rural Development Programme

What can a woman do when her husband has died, she has young children to look after, no savings and no income? What alternative does she have to a life of poverty and dependence on charity?

In 26 rural villages in Southern India, she can join a self-help group of women in similar circumstances. Run by local people with the support of RTU, the groups empower the most desperate and needy in these communities to transform their lives. Through micro-finance schemes, women have access to small loans with nominal interest rates. This enables them to set up businesses without becoming entrapped in the cycle of debt associated with borrowing from local money-lenders, who can charge interest rates of 60% or more. The "businesses" I am talking about really are very small - perhaps growing vegetables or making clothes, to sell within the village - yet they can make the difference between misery and dignity.

The women in the self-help groups also meet regularly to offer mutual support. They can talk and share their concerns and successes. There are opportunities to learn about health issues and about women's rights. A very deep need is filled in this way; often for the first time, these women realise that each one is a respected and valued person who has a role in their community and in the world, and whose actions can influence the quality of their life. It is, more than anything, this empowerment which I find inspiring. Everywhere in the world, no-one should be denied the chance to construct a worthwhile and meaningful life for themselves and their families.