To empower women, to make them capable is to ensure their financial independence to a certain extent. There was a greater need to make rural women more confident, bring them together to share their joys and sorrows, exchange ideas etc.
The Rural Empowerment and Community Health (REACH) program began in 2007 with this objective. Spreading awareness about health, hygiene and literacy along with skills-training, which can help generate some income are some of the objectives behind the formation of self-help groups as part of this program. Initially, 345 In Ratnagiri and 250 in Sindhudurg such groups were operating in various villages. Collective farming is one of the successful activities of the group and they are all overjoyed with the fruits of their labour. These women have now learned to prepare simple local delicacies, sewing, making creative envelopes/bags from paper, manufacturing purses, simple jewellery etc. It has given them a source of income, a sense of independence and made them financially strong to a certain extent.
These self-help groups are formed to empower women from remote villages. Till today program has covered villages from Chiplun, Sangmeshwar taluka. Foreign delegates visiting in the institute every year also participate the activities of these groups by visiting their villages and observing the skills developed by them. These UK team visits have motivated many of the women to become entrepreneurs.
Dervan,Kudap,Sawarde,Durgewadi,Nandgaon,Kutare,Chiplun,Kondmala,Kapsal,Burambad,Tural,Arawali,Asurde,Agawe,Dahiwali,Kharawate,Kamathe villagers are the beneficiaries of this program etc.
The rural women have now experienced the advantages of these self-help groups so they gladly participate in the monthly meetings, pay their contributions, keep records, take loans from the group in case of urgent needs, regularly pay interest etc. Periodically health camps, cancer screening camps, Health Awareness sessions are organized by B.K.L.Walawalar Rural Medical College and hospital.
During monsoon leptospirosis and monsoonal illness prevention programs, haldi kumkum in sankranti and chaitra gauri, women cancer screening during navratri are regularly organised events.
