We covered five cooperatives from the four states covered under the study. These included Mahasakthi Mutually Aided Cooperative Federation from Andhra Pradesh; New Bihar Multi-purpose Women Development Cooperative Society from Bihar; Waghodia Women Credit Cooperative Ltd. and Shree Sangam Mahila Bachat Ane Dhiran Sahakari Mandali Ltd. from Gujarat; and Swarbhatri Women’s Mutually Aided Cooperative Thrift Society from Telangana. We launched the report in the august presence of Ms Savitri Singh, Deputy Chief Executive, National Cooperative Union of India (NCUI), and Dr Varsha Ganguly, Professor, Institute of Law, NIRMA University.

Dr Varsha Ganguly, the principal investigator anchoring the whole research and writing of the report, shared significant findings emerging from the study. She shared about the increase in income and savings witnessed by women comprising these cooperatives and the livelihood opportunities created. These women also reported enhanced self-esteem, improved life skills and increased legal and financial awareness, besides several social and community-level changes.

Ms Savitri Singh applauded this in-depth multi-state study and its encouraging findings. She requested ActionAid Association to ensure the reach of this critical learning document among communities at the grassroots. She also assured cooperatives from across the country of her support to help conduct training and set up counters at NCUI fairs to exhibit and sell their products. Read more here.