Trapped by poverty and a caste system that restricts employment to extremely low-paid and often degrading jobs, Dalits find themselves vulnerable to both traffickers who make false promises of high pay and to landowners and factory bosses who welcome the opportunity of a low-cost workforce through bonded labour. Economic development initiatives are key to breaking this cycle of poverty and exploitation, by helping Dalits to stand independently, support their family, provide education for their children, and find personal freedom and dignity.

[self-help groups]

Our 1,800 or more Self-Help Groups* are made up of 10-20 villagers or urban poor, mostly women, who organise themselves into savings and loan groups. Each group member regularly pays a small amount into the group’s fund. This is available for members to borrow, on very favourable terms. These loans often go towards paying for children’s education, medical treatment, food or other small but essential items of life. In other cases, loans are used to start small businesses providing long-term economic stability for group members. Local accountability is the key to success.

[livelihood management]

Our livelihood management microfinance schemes* provide loans funded by your donations enabling Dalits to start small businesses or increase their earning capacity to bring greater economic stability. This provides an alternative to the unscrupulous moneylenders who demand extortionate rates of interest.

DFN UK seeks to finance loans averaging 10,000 Rupees per person (roughly £140), usually women, to establish or expand small, self-sustaining businesses. Viable businesses include activities like poultry farming, milk production, tailoring and rickshaw pulling. Women are trained in good business practices and are encouraged to be creative and proactive. Our goal is not just economic independence, but also the restoration of dignity.

Fund-recycling is key to the success of these programmes. As loans are repaid, usually within 6-12 months, they are re-loaned to both existing borrowers and new applicants. This cycle of investment and reinvestment multiplies the value of the original loan. Micro-finance has a positive impact far beyond each individual client. As families emerge out of poverty and self-sustaining small businesses expand, entire communities benefit. Jobs are created, professional knowledge is shared, civic participation increases and women get due recognition as valuable members of the family and the community.

[vocational training]

DFN UK helps to fund a client-based and demand-driven vocational skills training programme* for Dalit communities. This focuses on the skills and abilities of the women and men going through the training, and on the needs of the local community. Training programmes also aim to develop financial management skills and to foster entrepreneurship.

Promising candidates from our Self-Help Groups are selected for a wide variety of training programmes, including schemes affiliated to government and non-government institutions. This increases job opportunities among the poor and marginalised.

[business enterprise]

A recently developed component of our economic strategy is individual and community development through profit-driven business enterprises*. A key focus is to build trust in the community. These business ventures are led by our Indian partners but run by the local Dalit people. Some of them have export as their end objective. Others have the production of jobs and the saving of money domestically.  One example is ‘Dusty Feet’ solar energy units, providing renewable energy for communities without an electricity supply – Dalits are the main residents in such areas.

[help them help themselves]

These initiatives help to lift Dalits and their communities out of the cycle of poverty, discrimination and exploitation which makes them so vulnerable to human trafficking and slavery. You can help Dalits and their communities to help themselves by donating to our ‘Help Them Help Themselves’ fund.[Find out more...]