RGMVP

Rajiv Gandhi Mahila Vikas Pariyojana (RGMVP) is a rights-based organization that works for poverty reduction, womens empowerment and rural development in Uttar Pradesh. With the belief that the poor have a strong desire and innate ability to overcome poverty, RGMVP organizes poor rural women into community institutions in the form of Self-Help Groups- consisting of 10-20 women- that act as social platforms to address issues of financial inclusion, health-care, livelihoods, education and the environment. Members make small regular savings over a few months until there is enough capital in the group to begin internal lending. Funds are then lent to members at times of need or to start livelihood initiatives. After sufficient savings, SHGs are linked to banks to access micro-credit. 10-20 Self-Help Groups then federate into Village Organizations, and 10-20 Village organizations further federate to form Block Organizations. The community institutions help the women access their basic rights and entitlements, linking them to existing state and non-state structures and resources, like the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme and the National Rural Health Mission, amongst others. Based out of Rae Bareli, RGMVP has reached (as of March 2013) out to over 1 million poor households in 204 blocks of 41 districts in the most backward and poverty-stricken regions of Uttar Pradesh.