The cooperative caters to the credit and investment requirements of the rural poor especially unskilled workers and women. This is an institution fully managed by the people thorough a director board elected from among the self-help group members. The objective of this institution is to free the rural poor from the clutches of money lenders and profit-making financial institutions that drain and suck the saving and wages of the rural poor.
Formation of ‘Sanchi Trust’ for welfare of women beedi workers
ADARSHA has joined with other 4 NGOs working for the empowerment and economic development of women beedi workers in Dakshina Kannada District in order to establish a registered trust named ‘Sanchi’ based in Mangalore for providing training, facilitation and low cost credit facilities to poor women ‘beedi’ and other unskilled workers for undertaking self employment and income generation activities. This program is supported by the International Labour Organization (ILO). More than 700 women beedi and other unskilled workers have benefitted through low-interest loans received from the revolving fund managed by Sanchi Trust during the last 7 years. The activities and assets of the Trust are managed by the representatives of women beedi workers under the guidance and facilitation of the NGOs.
Adarsha Social Security Fund
‘Adarsha Social Security Fund’ is a self-reliant social security scheme owned and managed buys the members of the Self Help Groups promoted by ADARSHA. Under the scheme, the members are enrolled as policyholders with an annual contribution of Rs.100 which is repayable which makes them eligible for receiving financial assistance in the events of accidents, death, and debilitating illnesses. This program was initiated based on the principle of people joining together to help each other in times of unforeseen needs while remaining full stakeholders and owners of all money and assets. Presently there are about 2000 people as members of this scheme and a total disbursement of over 10 lakhs rupees for various assistances under the scheme.
Helping Hand Programme
Under the helping hand, program donations are collected annually from the general public by the members of the Self Help Groups with the objective of financially helping the poorest among them for their specific development and welfare necessities. The money raised shall be distributed to those who are living in very poor living conditions and economic deprivation who are not in a position to take loans for meeting the development necessities. Assistances were provided to very needy people for basic needs of house construction, education of poor children, medical treatment of poor patients and marriage expenses of poor girls.
Community based rehabilitation of the disabled children
Another initiative of ADARSHA is the facilitation and financial support provided to the poor families with disabled children for the management of the social, emotional and economic problems as well as helping them in their physical, social and occupational rehabilitation. Children and youth below the age of 25 years belonging to poor families are enrolled for assistance under the programme. At present 215 special children with various kinds of disabilities are assisted under the programme. Under the programme the parents of the children as well as the general community is enabled to undertake rehabilitation activities and provide inclusive and accessible physical and social conditions in homes as well as in other public facilities. The parents of the children are organized into Self Help Groups which oversees the rights of children with disabilities and their community based rehabilitation.