The Role of SHGs in the Community Mobilization Towards Sustainable Development

Abstract

The emergence of Self Help Group (SHG) has done remarkable contribution in the generation of livelihood programmes that demands high level of community participation. The SHGs promoted by Karnatak Integrated Development Society (KIDS), Puttur, who works in nine districts of Karnataka, for the past five years had done substantial work in terms of livelihood generation as well its sustainability. A descriptive study is done to analyse the community involvement in the entire project of employment generation. There are individuals and group initiatives which show a track record of success over the past two to three years. The case studies of the benficiaries from the community and the secondary data available with the documentation of the agency provide adequate information on the community involvement. The profit oriented models have more community involvement than social benefiting ventures. Community awareness has been acknowledged as major component in the promotion of SHGs. The participation of the members in the socio-economic activity strengthened the family reselience of economic constraints and adding income encouraged the other members of the family to support the running of such SHGs. Irrespective of the communal tension prevailing in these geographical area the active involvement of the SHG in poverty alleviation is highly apreciated from people of all quarters. The study calls for the need of exploring the factors that contribute to the sustainability.