SELF EMPLOYED WOMEN

ASSOCIATION (SEWA)

Presented By:

Vijay MangalJoydeep Das

Megha Singh

Introduction about SEWA Founder is Ela Ben Bhatt

Registered in 1972 as a trade union

In support of TLA president Arvind Buch

Organization of poor and illiterate women

These are the worker of unorganized sector

Aim is to provide full employment

SEWA is both organization and movement

Objectives of SEWA

Full employment and self dependent

Self reliant and decision making ability

Provide second freedom

Three ways in which members are engaged

A union -with urban & rural branches

Cooperatives - largest cooperative is SEWA Bank(1974)with Rs. 72400

Member services - financed by user charges, Donors and by Government department

Break up in 1981Break up in 1981

Between TLA and SEWA Objectives were different TLA worked for organized worker

whereas SEWA stood for unorganized

workers Now it become independent body After it, started growing more rapidly

Growth of SEWAGrowth of SEWA

1982, SEWA move to other states

By 2002, it expanded to six states

Membership in 1974 – 320 2002 – 7 Lakh (approx.) 2006 - 9.5 Lakh (approx.)

Cont’d…Cont’d…

STFC targeted-

–Europe, US, South Africa, Middle East and Japan

In India, tie-ups with--Big Bazaar,

Pantaloons, Shoppers’ Stop

Future plansFuture plans

Aim is to provide more facilities through the use of information technology

Plans to use computers in the STFC

Singed a company to design and develop tailor made software for members

Cont’d…Cont’d…

Set up a retail chain of 60 franchisee-operated stores

Will set up ‘Apparel and Accessories Park’ in Ahmedabad

Four main group of Four main group of membersmembers

• Home based workersHome based workers

• Street vendors Street vendors

• Contract laborers andContract laborers and • Small producersSmall producers

Challenges Challenges

Organizing worker in the informal sector

Competition with local NGOs in other states

Get less advantages in other states than Gujrat

Key factors of success of SEWA

Members attain self-confidence, skills

Values generate strong loyalty from staff, members and public

It motivates high performance and low turnover among staff

Activities of SEWAActivities of SEWA

Provides easy credit through saving Provides easy credit through saving and credit co-operative, and credit co-operative, SEWA BankSEWA Bank

Providing social security like Providing social security like Housing, Child Care Housing, Child Care andand Health Care Health Care

To train the members it established To train the members it established the the SEWA AcademySEWA Academy

Cont’d….Cont’d….

Provide the legal aid to its members, Provide the legal aid to its members, Fighting for -Fighting for -

low wages, low wages, Violation of labor laws, Violation of labor laws, contract labor,contract labor,Harassment , and Harassment , and exploitation of women etc.exploitation of women etc.

Strength • Affiliated to HomeNet and StreetNet

International

• Grants from GoI, UNICEF, Ford Foundation and ILO

• SEWA Bank Supervise by Reserve Bank of India

• The World Bank is a major source

Cont’d….

• Health care programs funded by-

• United Nations Population Fund• WHO• The GoI• The Ahmedabad Minicipal Corporation

Cont’d…

Child care : Shaishav Child Care Cooperative funded by-

>Mothers, >Employers,>Local Organizations,>The Gram Panchayat,>Trusts,

Cont’d…

• For Standardization and Quality, it had tie-ups with

• National Institute of Design (NID),• National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT)• St. Martin’s School of Art, London,• Fashion Technology Institute, New York• Boston Consulting Group

Conclusion • SEWA is movement more than program • SEWA provide self reliance and full employment

• SEWA has full support from every side

• It helps to create market in India as well as foreign • The growth of SEWA’s membership in other states

has been uneven

SEWA-Gallery

Agarbatti worker

Bidi worker

» » Kite maker

Construction worker

Child care at SEWA

•Women literacy at SEWA

»Health care at SEWA

• Capacity Building & Leadership Developmentof Rural Women

Learning

Computers

Readymade garment worker

Iron

Picker

vendor

Women workers in Rural Areas

Bibliography

www.sewa.org. www.google.com www.sewaachademy.com SEWA Annual report 2006 www.sewabank.com

THANKS !

“SEWA =SERVICE = SWASHRAYI MAHILA

SANGH”