Self-Help Groups and Federations
Building solidarity, leadership, and collective agency
At the heart of the programme are women-led self-help groups (SHGs). These grassroots groups foster solidarity, build confidence, and enable collective action - laying the groundwork for sustained community resilience.
Each SHG brings together 10-20 women from participating households. Together, they:
- Save regularly and manage group funds
- Share learning and provide peer support
- Participate in rights-based trainings, disaster preparedness, and market-oriented skills development
- Engage with local service providers and elected representatives
Group members take on rotating leadership roles - such as Chairperson, Secretary, or Cashier - to promote inclusion and continuous skills development.
Scaling collective power
As SHGs mature, they form federations at the municipal level. These federations:
- Represent the interests of multiple SHGs
- Advocate for access to public services, entitlements, and fair treatment
- Take on selected project management functions to prepare for long-term sustainability
In many cases, federations are formally registered, and initiate campaigns - such as preventing early marriage or addressing gender-based violence.
This layered structure - spanning household, group, and federation - enables participants to improve their own lives while actively shaping more equitable and resilient communities.
