Empowerment

The fact that Rojiroti operates through women leaders, who have been members of groups themselves, from the communities that the organisation seeks to serve  has played an important role in supporting empowerment. 

"Rojiroti is not similar to other groups.. Rojiroti is an entirely female group and the women decide about the loan" 

Interview with Sudha Devi, Rojiroti Staff Member

For example, women leaders were considered to be role models in their  challenging of unequal power relations within their communities and the way in which they shared strategies to tackle inequality with group members.

"Unlike before, now people wait to talk to me, whereas earlier no one knew me. My advice and guidance are taken seriously, and now people seek me out"

Interview with Rita Devi, Rojiroti Staff Member

Research also noted the role of Rojiroti’s women leaders in increasing visibility in social spaces and in supporting access to education.  

"We, the working women of Rojiroti are role models for educating girls"

Interview with Pratima Devi, Rojiroti Staff Member

Rojiroti's approach emphasises group solidarity and support, which extends beyond loan applications.

"Other groups are limited to finance and they have no concern about social or emotional values of their members. Their relationship is solely of borrower and lender. However, with Rojiroti, we are helped to grow as a person, as the group understands our emotions" 

Interview with Rinku Devi, Rojiroti Staff Member

This approach has been found to lead to improvements in women's social resources, an important aspect of empowerment. For example, research has noted how groups provided social networks, new knowledge and information, opportunities for shared problem solving and improved education levels. 

"We sit in group of ten members, ten views are given on any topic, this enhances our knowledge. Some of our members have learnt accounting. They keep their accounts updated on their own. This much we have paid back and this much is the balance we need to repay, so they learnt to add and subtract" 

Focus Group Discussion with Rojiroti Members

Research also noted that Rojiroti members reported increases in their self-esteem and self-worth since being a member of Rojiroti, and experienced a reduction in domestic violence since joining the groups. 

Whilst group meetings are an intrinsic part of the mainstream microfinance model, the Rojiroti group structure operates with a member-led approach to setting times and length of group meetings.  

"In our group we fix the time while in other groups, the coordinator fixes the time... Here we can say to our group leader to come as per our convenience. Suppose we have to go to harvest paddy, we would call her earlier. At the time of sowing saplings, we call her early in the morning, but at the time of collecting grains from the harvested crop, we call her at noon" 

Focus Group Discussion with Rojiroti Members

Loan applications are validated by group members, who have control over the size, frequency and purpose of loans that are needed to support their livelihoods. This autonomy is an important feature of the Rojiroti approach.

Research has shown that involvement in group processes also led to women being more likely to know their household income and expenditure since being members of Rojiroti, arguably increasing their knowledge and role in the financial decisions made in their family.

Membership of Rojiroti is also associated with increased financial resources, an important aspect of empowerment, as women experienced increased poultry ownership, increased mobile phone ownership and an increase in upgrading to brick-walled housing.