Socio-Economic Status:
The project is located in Guraru Block of Gaya District in Bihar. The main inhabitants of this area are villagers who are generally marginal farmers, or labourers, who depend upon seasonal agriculture for their livelihood. The population of the area is approximately 200,000.

There is no employment in the area apart from sporadic casual employment. This kind of employment benefits a minority of people for a short period of time. Cash is a scarce commodity in the face of widespread unemployment and quite often the villagers do not have sufficient cash for the purchase of basic requirements such as food, grains and other essentials.

Unforseen requirements, or bigger necessities, like marriage, house construction or repairs, illness and death in the family etc are even more difficult to manage. The only alternative available was to borrow cash from money lenders, usually at exorbitant rates. Villagers generally found it difficult to repay the loan.

Self Help Groups have enabled the women to manage their resources and to learn about 'savings and credit'. They can then borrow money to meet their immediate needs from the group kitty and so be freed from debt to the money-lenders.