Nomadic Nat and Bajaniya community benefited to start their own venture with help of VSSM’s interest free loan, under livelihood programme.

Jivabhai with his own auto rickshaw

Champaneriya Jivabhai, resident of Dist. Surendranagar, with limited opportunities & handful resources he has to meet the daily requirements. Income was average while running expense of his hired auto rickshaw was demanding huge portion of whatever he earns, daily rent of Rs.250/-, fuel and other maintenance charges was costing 500/- per day. 

Jivabhai had positive prospects to look towards these challenging conditions, he was desirous to make changes in his life by owing an auto rickshaw. But with limited earnings and marginal savings it seems impossible. Eventually he happened to meet our karyakar Harshad.

Harshad is the young and energetic field worker of VSSM. He has given hopes to many young entrepreneurs from these communities.

Harshad explained Jivabhai the benefits of Interest Free loan program especially run for Nomadic communities by VSSM. Jivabhai is desirous and dedicated to take the responsibilities of owing his own auto rickshaw & apparently returning the loan amount within the approved period. VSSM sanctioned a loan amount of Rs.40,000/-.  Jivabhai bought a used auto rickshaw, for 60,000/-, apart from loan amount he received help for balance 20,000/-from friends and family.

Earlier he used to pay 6000/- as monthly rent to the owner of auto rickshaw, today he repays his loan amount to VSSM with fixed 4000/- EMI. Eventually he is benefitted by owning his own auto rickshaw & gradually savings has also increased.

VSSM along with bajaniya community is proud of Jivabhai, he has set an best example of effective management with optimum utilization of handful or marginal resources.

He has given hopes to many young entrepreneurs from these communities.

Families of Nomadic Kangasiya community attained self-reliant under the guidance of VSSM.

Members of these families staying under one roof and
happily doing their buisness under the guidance of VSSM

In the List of Socially and Educationally Backward Classes declared by Gujarat State, out of the 146 communities, Kangsiya is one of them. This community is traditional engaged in wooden & horn made artistic items usually used in artificial jewellery making. These handmade crafts and carving done on these items are durable and long lasting.

Today the demand and supply for these items, both are less, as due to machine made and good finished products available at lesser prices. Families belonging to these communities started selling cosmetic products and artificial jewelleries to support their livings. But to start this venture they required some working capital on hand, buying in bulk from town side market would cost more & initial borrowing at heavy interest drags them into debt trap.

Members of these families staying under one roof and happily doing their business under the guidance of VSSM.

These families today neither have alternate skills or education or funds to venture into other occupations. If one has to work towards the rehabilitation the occupations of these nomadic communities, it is crucial to mentor and guide them towards adapting alternate livelihoods. The best solution was to rebuilding the livelihoods by lending them some funds to start their own ventures.

Five families of this community were funded interest free loan of Rs. 20000/- each during the festival season. Their dedication & understanding helped them to earn more profits and repay the loan timely. Considering their passion and commitments VSSM again funded them with 30,000/- loan to each family. During the monsoon season the condition of their home was dripping day by day they again approached VSSM for repairs of their houses, we granted them 30,000/- interest free loan to rebuild and renovate their house.

Today 85 members of 10 families are staying in this house and all these individuals are making tremendous efforts to make their businesses and lives successful. Under the guidance of VSSM these families have benefited with their independent earnings their own home & importantly relive from debt trap. 

The Kalupur Commercial Co-operative Bank starts Mobile Van for financial inclusion

Mobile loan connection within Ahmedabad

The Kalupur Commercial Co-Operative Bank Ltd, the leading Multi-state scheduled urban co-op bank in Gujarat started a Mobile branch on 25.07.2016 to cater to the banking needs of beneficiaries of micro finance. The mobile van is accessible at their door steps. 

The branch was inaugurated by VSSM’s Managing Secretary Smt. Mittal Patel. About 225 women were present on the occasion. The function was graced by Bank’s Directors and office bearers of various Co-Operative banks in Ahmedabad. An overwhelming response received from people of nomadic communities those have taken interest free loan to start their own venture; they deposit the regular instalments in their Kalupur Bank A/c. 

Inaugration  ceremony hosted by Smt. Mittalben Patel

The mobile van with all infrastructures necessary for smooth banking operations will provide service from 8 O’clock in the morning to 8 O’clock at night at about 10 different centres in Ahmedabad. As majority of the nomadic community people are illiterate, the van facilitates their customers with proper guidance, related to bank account opening, loan sanction, passbook update, amount deposits, transfers etc…

 A couple of years back VSSM initiated an interest free loan program named “Swavlamban’ with the objective to provide finance to individuals from nomadic communities willing to start their independent ventures. So far (Jul 16) we have provided loans to 721 individuals and thus for all of them have been successful in their initiative.  Along with financial assistance the team of VSSM also provide financial guidance and mentor these families in managing their incomes. For further details kindly visit :: www.nomadsemployment.blogspot.in

New hopes emerges in nomadic community, start your own enterprise – take benefit of VSSM’s interest free loan programme.

Bachubhai Bajaniya with his newly purchased
octopad - performing at a gathering...

Music is passion; musical instruments are gadgets for Bachubhai Nayak Bajaniya living in village Mafatiyapara, Dist. Surendranagar. Since from childhood Bachubhai played his hands on different musical tools, sometimes in community (Bajaniya) gathering sometimes in funfairs & sometimes in family get together. Professional classes are not at easy access for kids staying in remote villages like mafatiyapara, going to city side to attend the classes demands money, economical condition of bachubhai’s family was not sound enough to support his hobby.

His zest for playing an octopad has cultivated by now from hobby to dream, he started playing the instrument along with his musical troop. In social gathering audience applauded his performance. People started recognizing his music, he started getting invites for solo performance.  

To own an octapad was not just a dream but a requirement to sustain in this career. Hiring the instrument for each show would cost him a rent of Rs.300-400 and during festival & marriage seasons this rent were at highest. Sometimes he has to let go the show as he would not afford the rent. Non availability of instrument also led to no shows or performance. 

These communities were aware of VSSM’s different initiatives for Livelihood. Bachubhai approached Harshad our Karyakar, who is actively working in this village & keen for betterment of Bajaniya community. Bachubhai had some limited savings while the shortfall was huge. Considering his profound desire to take this as his career & oversee the overall growth of this community as this will be benefitted on long run to the society, we sanctioned a loan of Rs.30,000/- under VSSM’s Interest free loan program. 

Bachubhai contributed Rs.10,000/- from his savings & bought an used octapad for Rs.40,000/-. Today he is repaying the loan in regular EMI’s, we appreciate his dedication & devotion towards his passion for music and also towards his responsibility to repay the loan amount.

Bachubhai has opened new doors of career and hopes of earnings for this community while VSSM plays an important role to initiate this changing phase of Bajaniya community.

Navghanbhai Kishanbhai Bajaniya, resident of village Laxmipara, Dist. Surendranagar. With limited opportunities & handful resources this family has to meet the daily requirements. Both father and son duo run auto rickshaw on the roads of Laxmipara in shift duties. Income was average while running expense for this vehicle was demanding huge portion of whatever they earn, daily rent of Rs.250/-, fuel and other maintenance charges was costing 500/- per day.

Navghanbhai with his auto rickshaw

An emerging situation aroused when his father got badly addicted to alcohol and could not drive the vehicle. Apparently his earnings stopped and this family was in debt ridden situation.
Navghanbhai is youngest in the family, his prospects to look towards these challenging conditions changes when he meets our Karyakarta, Harshad. Harshad is the young and dynamic field worker of VSSM. He has given hopes to many young entrepreneurs from these communities.

Harshad explained Navghanbhai the benefits of Interest Free loan program especially run for Nomadic communities by VSSM. Navghanbhai is desirous and dedicated to take the responsibilities of owing his own auto rickshaw & apparently returning the loan amount within the approved period. VSSM sanctioned a loan amount of Rs.30,000/-. Navghanbhai bought a used auto rickshaw, and decided to ferry in shifts, his brother also joined him.  Now this vehicle is fully operative, shift duties are set, early morning 4 to 8:30 his father drives, morning 9 to evening 8 Navghanbhai drives & then after till next day morning his brother drives.

His father has not completely quit his habit of drinking alcohol but substantially reduced, he appreciate his sons efforts and dedications and he too has joined them and contribute his share of earnings to their family.

VSSM along with bajaniya community is proud of Navghanbhai, he has set an best example of effective management with optimum utilization of handful or marginal resources.

Similarly Nathabhai Gadaliya sets a best example of age is not barrier if you are dedicated and devoted to deploy your best available resources along with your inherent skills.
Nathabhai’s son owns a small shop of iron made tools generally used as kitchen accessories in the village, buying the material from town side requires adequate working capital, with marginal investments & savings he was unable to procure the items in bulk quantity. Hence compelled to buy at high rates.

Nathabhai Gadaliya selling iron made tools and kitchen
accessories

Earnings from the existing setup was average to meet all basic requirements but not sufficient enough to led a comfortable life. Nathabhai was aware of our livelihood program, he has several times attended the community meetings and has witnessed the growth of other community people who has been benefited with VSSM’s interest free loan program.

He approached for help, our field executive Ishwar was aware of Nathabhai’s zeal to expand his current arrangements. With Rs.30,000/- interest free loan he started buying the raw material in bulk quantity from Rajkot & then after molding and making hand hammers and sledgehammers, a number and variety of chisels, punches and drifts and a selection of tongs with big or jaws of various shapes.
He now started going to nearby village to sell the tools, his wife also willingly joins him and they earns good margin. They also have good setup to sell the tools in Bhachau. Nathabhai gradually returns his loan amount to VSSM in small instalments but in form of regular repayments.

Nathabhai is thankful to VSSM for transforming his life, his belief in us and our distinct programs has remarkably played an role in the lives of needy people.

VSSM helps nomadic communities to start their own vocations with our micro finance – interest free loan program, we are also considerable in the repayments, sometimes repaid at their convenience and availability of money, purpose is to make these poor nomadic people independent & self-reliant.