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Case 3: Savings – A mandatory need
Name: Durga & Parvathy
SHG Groups: Manjushree & Bhairavi
District: Udipi
In the picturesque town of Udupi two groups Manjushree & Bhairavi seemed very
vibrant. About 50% of the members of the group were housewives. This was stated by
their respective animators Durga and Parvathy whom we met. The meeting was at the
backyard of the temple where the groups normally gathered every month. Durga and
Parvathy were relatively young (age around 30) and the most vocal in the group. On
questioning as to why so many members were housewives and yet belong to a SHG
group we were told that they were from conservative families and joining the SHG group
was more for social action as compared to building their entrepreneurial skills. However
many members had tailoring machines with them and stitched blouses and petticoats both
for them and others. However very few of them thought in terms of making the same
