Hand in Hand started as a small NGO in Kancheepuram, a district in the South-Indian state of Tamil Nadu that is famous for its silk industry. Child labour was a prevalent problem in the looms. Hand in Hand was established with the aim of eliminating child labour and getting children back to school. The project was a huge success. With the realisation that child labour was just one aspect of the overall poverty, in 2004, we decided to expand our focus and move towards an integrated approach to development.
The work of Hand in Hand now rests on five key pillars: microfinance, education, health, Citizens’ Centres, and environment.
As a credit deepening strategy, a select few entrepreneurs are being encouraged to form Activity-Based Groups to promote economic activities across the dairy value chain.