Radhaswami SHG was formed in 1st January 2007 taking 10 poor women as members from same hamlet from Bhingarpur village with the initiative of Mrs. Rashmita Karan.The members are homogeneous, self-selected, with the liberty to choose their group depending on their level of affinity to save some money regularly and increase their income through group activities and make unity.

The member’s family economic standard was not good and they were not engaged in any productive work. They were just only as house wife. The major part of their income was used up for house hold expenditure. Whenever they want to purchase some house hold asset they take loans from local money-lenders on a high interest rate. The average monthly income of the families are Rs. 1500, which is not sufficient to run their families, soa group of women from Bhingarpur village came out to build a secured future for their family. They formed a small homogeneous group in their locality and inculcated the habit of savings in Bank with the hopeful support and encouragement of Annapurna.

After Acknowledgement about Annapurna Microfinance the staff of Annapurna was given orientation on the loan products of Annapurna and the basic requirements for availing the loan. Then they applied for agriculture loan in Annapurna. In the first cycle they successfully availed of Rs.80, 000from Annapurna Microfinance at an interest rate of 12% flat. With the help of the loan they used it in their individual business.

After repay their all the installment they need more amount to start mushroom cultivation, so they applied toAnnapurna Microfinance for second loan cycle and successfully avail of Rs. 1,00,000. They invest the loan amount in individual mushroom cultivation. The following table shows the expenditure head in mushroom cultivation.

As Mushroom cultivation helped them earn a good amount. In this way they earned a good income and had a good saving even after repaying the monthly installment of Annapurna Microfinance without any delay. With the support of Annapurna the group members were given training on coir craft. Now they are making the home decorate toys like horse, elephant, tree, house etc. and selling their products in different exhibitions and fairs like Khurda Mohotsava, SisirSarasa etc. For purchasing the raw materials they now have availed a loan of Rs. 1, 62,000from Annapurna.

The women have exhibited their enterprise skills and now have involved themselves in two different economic activities i: e Coir crafts and Mushroom cultivation which was something for them. In the coming months they are interested in trying their hand in doing floriculture.

These activities havegiving an additionalincome to the family so that they are living in a standard life andthey are enhancing their saving habits through which they are not begging in front of their husband for money and they are able to convey quality education to their children and maintain a sustainable livelihood.