Sudarvoli Self Help Group

Sudarvoli means light in Tamil. This group of women come from Ooradairpuram in Southern Tamil Nadu.

They all used to work in the nearby Beedi (Indian cigarette) factory rolling tobacco leaves. The Beedi factory pays these women RS75 (90p) per day.

Beedi rolling is hazardous work. Women often sit on one position for 10 to 16 hours a day, inhaling huge amounts of tobacco dust.

However the Sudarvoli group are about to embark on a brighter future with our support.

We help women create their own employment and improve their household income

Our team of animators has worked with this group to help them set up a woman’s group. Now they can share their problems and save some money to build a better future together.

We have provided sewing training and due to high demand in the area, they will be able to make and sell tunics and blouses making between  RD200-500 a day.

They have taken out a loan with us to buy a sewing machine so that they can immediately start working and hope to be able to pay this off in the first 10 months.

Group member Kumara said:  “I am very happy to work with these women. Together we are very strong”.

There’s now 2,000 women’s self help groups involving 50,000 women

Read more about them here or watch a film about the groups. If you would like to help us to support more income generating programmes for women’s groups you can donate here.