Self Employed Women Association (sewa)

SELF EMPLOYED WOMEN ASSOCIATION (SEWA)

Presented By: Vijay Mangal Joydeep Das Megha Singh

Introduction about SEWA 

Founder is Ela Ben Bhatt

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Registered in 1972 as a trade union

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In support of TLA president Arvind Buch

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Organization of poor and illiterate women

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These are the worker of unorganized sector

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Aim is to provide full employment

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SEWA is both organization and movement

Objectives of SEWA 

Full employment and self dependent

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Self reliant and decision making ability

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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 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 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… STFC targeted–Europe, US, South Africa, Middle East and Japan

In India, tie-ups with-Big Bazaar, Pantaloons, Shoppers’ Stop

Future 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…  Set up a retail chain of 60 franchisee-

operated stores  Will set up ‘Apparel and Accessories

Park’ in Ahmedabad

Four main group of members • Home based workers • Street vendors • Contract laborers and • Small producers

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

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Values generate strong loyalty from staff, members and public

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It motivates high performance and low turnover among staff

Activities of SEWA 

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

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Providing social security like Housing, Child Care and Health Care

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To train the members it established the SEWA Academy

Cont’d…. 

Provide the legal aid to its members, Fighting for  low wages,  Violation of labor laws,  contract labor,  Harassment , and  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

» »

Construction worker

Kite maker

Child care at SEWA

•Women literacy at

SEWA

»Health care at SEWA

• Capacity Building & Leadership Development of 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”