Free Women

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We just returned from India, and wanted to show everyone in Common Ground what intentional spirit can do. In the face of many obstacles, we meet a courageous group of women who have organized to change their world.

Throughout India, women are forming 'self-help groups' (SHGs) to combat the many issues facing them.

With the great help of Vani Chenguttuwan, we spoke at length with the SHG in Kalugumalai, in the state of Tamil Nadu, about their successes.

Many of these women's organizational successes came after intensive work with the DHAN Foundation (dhan.org/), and its Kalanjia Community Banking programme ('Wealth' in the Tamil language - see dhan.org/themes/kalanjiam.php).

These organizations provided on-the-ground support for the women, micro-finance for small-business start-ups, and extensive education in crafts production and marketing - traditional skills enhanced by good business practices.

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