Previously: Friends of the Poor in South India

Revolving Funds (sometimes called Micro-credit) mean that when a woman completes her training and has been provided with a means of employment (e.g. a free sewing machine) she can start earning and if possible slowly pay back the costs at 0% interest. This replenishes the fund so the next trainees can be trained and equipped. This means that donations continue to snowball – hence ‘Revolving Funds’

Here are some examples:

Sewing Machine

Women graduating from our tailoring programmes can choose to receive a sewing machine which they repay the cost of over two years. This enables them to leave their previous precarious employment in favour of self-sustaining independent income. On average, this enables women to triple their income, providing a stable financial basis for them and their families, so that their children can remain in education. Some women gain employment in a local factory and therefore do not want or need their own machine at home.

Once loans are repaid, Revolving Funds are gifted to new graduates, buying more sewing machines for more women.

Since 2012, we have supported 60% of our graduates (400 women) to set up as skilled independent tailors in their own homes. The remaining graduates gained employment in local factories.

Surya aged 31 graduated in October 2019. Before training as a seamstress she was unable to put food on the table for her children as her husband is a seasonal worker and an alcoholic. She says -

"It's been ten days since I received my own sewing machine. I have completed 12 orders and earnt enough money to eat meals three times a day with my family as well as saving for the sewing machine loan repayments. I thank you for releasing me from my poverty."

 

Hand-Loom Project

Highly skilled weavers from the Swarastra community have migrated to the area we work in from Gujarat. Often trapped in poor conditions and low wages within factories, access to our Revolving Funds enables Swarastra weavers to re-start their traditional skills and economic model as independent crafts-people.

With these looms the women produce beautiful hand-woven silk sari fabrics, sold direct to local shops.

We have run this project successfully since 2012. In this time we have supported 111 weavers and and the Revolving Funds continue to be made available to new families.

 

Animal Husbandry

We provide two cows at a time for women who do not wish to be reskilled - often older women and widows. Repayments come from the income made by selling milk. See more on on our page about Animal Husbandry.