Seven Sisters Development Assistance
Institution Building
SeSTA envisages to build a momentum to lay the foundation of a vibrant community-based organization that is self-reliant and self-sustaining. It provides handholding support to these groups, starting their formation till they evolve as a socially and financially sustainable institutions.
Self Help Group (SHG)
Self Help Group (SHG) it is a democratic institution owned and managed by women. It is an association of 10 to 20 women from similar socio-economic background and a voluntary effort to improve their economic and social wellbeing.
Reasons to promote SHGs
- Organizes poor around their own resources.
- Savings and credit are a livelihood intervention in itself.
- It smoothens consumption and finances existing livelihoods.
- Prepares members for further livelihood options.
- Mobilise finance from banks for livelihoods.
- Empowers women and builds leadership skills
Village Organization (VO)
Once the SHG groups are established, it mobilizes the SHGs to form Village Organization (VO) comprising of 10-15 SHGs from the same village or nearby villages. The objective to have VO meetings is to act as a pressure group uniting SHGs for addressing various issues related to atrocities on women, social evils, SHGs, health and governance.
The VO acts as a
Forum for peer learning, mutual support, monitoring and evaluation.
Integrating, interfacing and cross learning forum.
An opportunity to stay in touch with the groups.
Forum for cost sharing and building solidarity
- A platform for collective action and advocacy
- Strengthening linkages with external stakeholders
Cluster Level Federation (CLF)
A Cluster Level Federation (CLF) is promoted by SeSTA in close association of the SRLMs, which is consist of all the VOs in the GP. It acts as a platform for sharing of experiences of SHGs and to extend mutual support to improve the overall performance of SHGs. The CLF will create voice and space for the poor in the village and help initiate development intervention for poverty reduction. SeSTA has formed and nurtured 50 CLFs across 5 states of NE.
The role of CLF are as follows
- Platform for sharing experiences and learning
- Mobilization of left-out and vulnerable groups
- Preparation for diversified livelihood options
- Regular review and effective monitoring
- Facilitation of pro-poor planning processes
- Bridge connecting SHGs with key stakeholders
Producer Group (PG)
Producer Groups are mobilized with a focused intention to increase production of different agricultural and livestock products. SeSTA promotes PGs where women members with common interest with available resources in a suitable geography are clubbed together to participate in training and handholding support for livelihood activities. The idea is to collectivize women under one umbrella for immediate access of support, trainings, maintenance of books and accounts and to generate a maximum profit for the members
Producer Groups work for
- Platform for sharing experiences and learning
- Mobilization of left-out and vulnerable groups
- Prepare for diverse livelihood options
- Regular review and effective monitoring
- Facilitation of poor planning processes
- Bridge connecting SHGs with key stakeholders
Farmer Producers Organisation (FPO)
Producer Groups are mobilized with a focused intention to increase production of different agricultural and livestock products. SeSTA promotes PGs where women members with common interest with available resources in a suitable geography are clubbed together to participate in training and handholding support for livelihood activities. The idea is to collectivize women under one umbrella for immediate access of support, trainings, maintenance of books and accounts and to generate a maximum profit for the members
The focus areas are
- Developing a Sustainable Business Model
- Leveraging Financial Resources
- Facilitating Functional Linkages
- Strengthening Governance Practices
- Enhancing Financial and Management Skills
- Implementing Targeted Training Programs
