Empowering the Poor Women for Community Development: A Unique Programme in Alappuzha Town of Kerala

Abstract

While a few voluntary agencies such as SEWA Bank in Ahmedabad, MYRADA in Bangalore, and Andhra Mahila Sabha in Hyderabad have been making constant efforts to empower the poor women, the decision-making power has remained in the hands of the individuals who pioneered such efforts.In this article, Prakash Bakshi discusses a new approach of empowering the poor women of Kerala which has been nurtured by NABARD, state government, and UNICEF and not by a few dedicated individuals.