Welcome!
Social Work and Environment for Rural Advancement (SWERA) is a non-governmental organisation established in 1995 by a group of people known as ‘Cultural Team’, involved in raising awareness on different socio-economic issues in Shrinagar, Silora and Arain blocks of Ajmer district through folk media. SWERA has identified Health, Education, Natural Resource Management and Women Empowerment through Livelihood Development as its major thrust areas and is working continuously on the same through its village level institutions.
Stories from the Field
SHG Membership Leads to Financial Independence
Kuki Devi, a housewife, resident of Farkiya village was unable to send her children to school due to her chronic poverty. Then she was linked with a SHG in the year 2002. After four months of group formation she received Rs 500 as internal loan. She earmarked Rs 400 out of it serve her domestic needs and spent Rs 100 in purchasing vegetables from Ajmer and sole it in her village. This was just a practical which remained quite profitable. This success pushed her motivation level high and urged her to adopt it as an occupation.
In the next month she received Rs 500 as loan and invested entire amount in her newly innovated venture. She made abundant profit. Timely availability of loan never allowed money as a constraint before Kuki Devi. Now she has adopted it as a full time occupation and owns a temporary vegetable shop in her village.
In her words credit of this success goes to her SHG by which she could become financially independent and enrolled her children in school.
Persuasion Changes Mindset
Kaku Bhambhi lives in Mandiyani village. Her severe anaemia and apathy towards formal health system led her first pregnancy ending in a miscarriage. This time, soon after her pregnancy came in the notice of our VHW and ANM they got her immunised and conducted ANC. She had severe pain in seventh month as it was the case of premature delivery.
Our VHW and ANM suggested her in-laws to take her to our health centre or to any other hospital by they didn’t agree for a hospital delivery. Our ANM kept a close watch on Kaku’s health while VHW continued to persuade Kaku’s in-laws with the help of their other relatives in the village for a delivery in the hospital.
At last, they were able to convince them and Kaku was taken to our Health Centre. She delivered a healthy baby normally. The couple has also adopted contraceptives for spacing.
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