The focus of Hand in Hand's Self-Help Group (SHG) and Microfinance Project is to alleviate rural poverty and empower women. This is done by forming women into Self Help Groups, training them in capacity building and skills development, and helping them build sustainable livelihoods for themselves and their families.

For more information contact info.shg@hihseed.org

Hand in Hand links Self-Help Groups to banks and thereby facilitates access to alternative sources of cheap credit. When bank loans are inaccessible, insufficient, too costly, or too rigid, Hand in Hand tries to bridge the gap by providing cheap credits for enterprise creation. Thus, the credit flow towards enterprise creation for Self-Help Group members is twofold: through banks, and through Hand in Hand.

Hand in Hand believes that when loans are given to women for asset creation and income generation, it increases their status and strengthens their position in the family. Consequently, as women are empowered, household poverty reduces and the health and education standards in the family as a whole increases. Further, with the creation of enterprises, women migrate from poorly paid work or unpaid household work, to self-employment and entrepreneurship.