The Self Help Concept
The Self Help Group approach is based on 2 basic principles:
1. Every human being has tremendous, God-given potential. This hidden potential
in the poor can be unleashed if the right environment is provided.
Society has pushed certain sections of her people to the Margin
saying that they are “No good”. These vulnerable and marginalised sections
slowly accept and internalize the state they are thrown into. The SHG process helps
them question this state and come out of it step by step.
2. As an individual the poor are voiceless, powerless
and vulnerable. By bringing them together as a homogenous collective aware of their
rights, they have tremendous strength.
The SHG approach is all about rebuilding strong and homogenous communities thereby
bringing people together and empowering them. “Value systems” that were
broken and abandoned are systematically restored in the community.
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Success Stories
Faith Mutheu is a single mother struggling to raise her 5-year
old daughter Kate. Faith and Kate live in Pumuvani, one of the large slums in Nairobi,
Kenya. Faith used to work as a casual worker in the industrial area near the slum.
Work was not regular. She used to earn KES 100 (USD 1.30) per day for the hard work
put in whenever she was hired. She could hardy find jobs 100 days in a year. After
joining a SHG in April 2006 she started saving regularly. She saw her fellow group
members taking loans and starting their own business. Read More...
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