Saved in Small Measures

THE simple, eight-digit, battery-powered calculator is probably the most sophisticated piece of electronic equipment she has ever held. But ...

THE simple, eight-digit, battery-powered calculator is probably the most sophisticated piece of electronic equipment she has ever held. But for Mangalatai name changed on request and 14 other prostitutes, their nascent struggle with bank pass books and simple arithmetic is the beginning of a silent revolution.

For the first time ever, a joint initiative of NGO Saheli HIV/ AIDS Karyakarta Sangh and the Bank of India BoI has brought into being a 8216;bachat gat8217; or small savings group for these women. What8217;s special about this group, says Saheli project coordinator Tejaswi Sevekari, is the loan facility.

8216;8216;There are many NGOs and banks coordinating these small community savings schemes, but none give interest on savings, or loans. Under our scheme, once the group8217;s savings touch

Rs 10,000, BoI will grant interest-free group loans upto Rs 30,000, with savings as collateral,8217;8217; says Sevekari.

The savings group 8212; formed on the lines of the community savings projects conducted by various banks and NGOs for slum dwellers 8212; came into being in August 2004, but the first 8216;class8217; was held on March 15. The second 8216;class8217;, held on Monday, saw the group navigate the usual bank setup through role-play, use of the calculator to speed up calculations and peer group bonding.

8216;8216;Since most are illiterate, the literate ones help the others in picking up what8217;s being taught. Through this first step, we8217;re looking at more such groups being formed, and ultimately, a cooperative for the 4500-odd women sex workers in Budhwar Peth, 8217;8217; says Sevekari.

FOR the women in question, this step to being part of mainstream society is a long-awaited chance. 8216;8216;Finances are very tight for us; most of us are sold to the brothels 8212; sometimes by our own families 8212; and have to 8216;pay off8217; the brothel-owner8217;s so-called investment,8217;8217; says one of the group members.

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Little aid from AIDS agency

UNDER the veneer of positiveness that is coating Budhwar Peth these days, is a tale of administrative inefficiency on the part of the State. The four NGOs working in the red light district 8212; Saheli, Vanchit Vikas, Akhil Budhwar Peth Devdasi Sanstha and Kaya Kalp 8212; say they haven8217;t received their promised funding from the Maharashtra State Aids Control Society MSACS for an entire year.
The NGOS received funds for 2003-04 from MSACS for activities like outreach/ awareness programmes, condom promotion and advocacy, but 2004-05 has been totally dry. 8216;8216;We have peer workers 8212; women sex workers who8217;ve left their profession and are working for us 8212; who8217;ve to be paid an honorarium of Rs 1,000 per month. But in the last year, they8217;ve been working without pay. All activities needing funds has slowed down,8217;8217; they say..

8216;8216;To supplement our earning, or to buy our way to freedom, many become victims of loan-sharks, who charge anything upto 25 per cent interest from us. Loans through this group would go a long way in providing alternative, interest-free finance,8217;8217; adds another.

The monthly classes are conducted by Surendra B Beloskar, chief manager at BoI8217;s city branch. 8216;8216;We started with contributions of Rs 10 per member, increased every month by

Rs 5. This month, every member chips in with

Rs 50. These women are so underprivileged, I felt I could do something for them through BoI,8217;8217; says he.

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The women say one class a month isn8217;t enough. 8216;8216;We forget what we learn by the next class. Constant repetition is necessary. How do you think five-year-olds learn the alphabet and numbers? Obviously, dedicated teachers drum it into them day after day,8217;8217; laughs one member.