5. THE FEDERATION OF CO-OPERATIVES
The Gujarat State Mahila
SEWA Co-operative Federation Ltd.
5.1 INTRODUCTION
Gujarat State Women’s Cooperative Federation is one
of the leading federations of co-operatives in Gujarat.
It is also a pioneer institution in the field of organising
self-employed women in to a co-operative body. It is a Confederation
of 88 women co-operatives working since 1992 for poor and
unorganised women workers of informal sector. It is an outcome
of SEWA’s inspiration and experience
that organising women into co-operatives can increase their
bargaining power, capability and ownership.
The
Federation represents the interest and concerns of the women’s
co-operatives at the state level with policy makers. All
services, from issues including access to raw material,
marketing and working capital for production, tools/equipments
to workspace are raised on behalf of member co-operatives
of the federation. It also concentrates in providing comprehensive
training in co-operative education, management and leadership.
The main goal of the Federation is to enhance economic and
social development of it’s present
and potential members through encouraging them to participate
in movement, building their capacities through trainings
and skill enhancement, providing technical support and advisory
services. At present 100 co-operatives are members of the
Federation being categorized as (1) Artisan’s co-operative
(2) Land based co-operatives (3) Livestock Co-operatives
(4) Trading Co-operatives (5) Service co-operatives and
(6) credit co-operatives.
Main objectives
§
To enhance
the economic and social development of it’s
present and potential members.
§
To encourage
and organize participation of self employed women in the
cooperative movement.
§
To provide
advisory services enhance skills by providing education
and training in the entrepreneurship.
§
To provide
training, technical and marketing support services to its
members.
Co-Operatives
And Membership
| Sr. No. |
Types
Of Co-Operatives |
Number Of Co-Operatives |
Membership |
| 1. |
Worker’s co-operative |
12 |
850 |
| 2. |
Land Based worker’s Co-operative |
7 |
192 |
| 3. |
Milk co-operatives |
56 |
11,000 |
| 4. |
Selling co-operatives |
5 |
2,000 |
| 5. |
Service providers’ Co-operatives |
11 |
19,435 |
| 6. |
Mahila SEWA Bank |
1 |
30,000 |
| TOTAL |
92 |
63,477 |
In order to make the members competitive and compatible
with the changing market demands due to globalisation, this
year the federation has provided need-based training, guidance,
marketing & design services and vegetable selling services
to them.
5.2 CAPACITY BUILDING THROUGH TRAINING
Federation’s main aim behind providing training services
is to divulge universal conceptual understanding of co-operatives,
its objectives and benefits to members of co-operatives
and leaders. Being members of the federation women workers
are provided training, which inculcates in them self-confidence
so that they can independently manage the various co-operatives.
Federation arranges training programmes involving practical
knowledge, not only within four walls but also by visiting
villages of the members.
During the year, 82 trainings of various forms have
been imparted to 2,371 members. Nature of the trainings
includes Co-operative Education, Executive Member’s training,
Technical training, Accounts training also Training of Trainers
(ToT) provided to the trainers,
Marketing training, Software Quality Management Control
training and Export-Import Management training in which
know how about export procedure and laws relating to it
were imparted.
30
members participated in training session conducted for providing
knowledge on growing improvised fodder according to the
land fertility and climatic conditions of Gujarat.
®
Co-operative Education - During the year 26 training programs
imparted training to 551 members. The main aim behind the
training was to give primary information about the motto
behind formation and working of co-operatives.
®
Executive Members training - 3 training programs imparted training
to 120 members. In these training sessions the elected executive
members are given in depth information on the roles to be
played by them, working and also managing accounts of the
co-operative.
®
Training on Animal Husbandry - 398 members were provided training through
11 training programs arranged. In these training session
members are given knowledge on how to improve the quality
of milk, disease related to animals and food to be provided
to them.
®
Training of Trainers - 1 training session was conducted in
which 20 trainers participated. The main aim was that they
become capable to impart proper training, which would further
lead to development of self-confidence in them.
®
Workshop for Milk Co-operatives - Vaikunth Mehta
Institute of Co-operative Management - Pune
organised “National Seminar on Women Dairy Co-operative”
in which 6 representatives of Federation’s milk co-operatives
took part and made presentation on the Women’s Milk Co-operatives.
5.3 MARKET LINKAGES
®
“SEWA Kalakruti”
is an outlet, which promotes and markets the products made
by the poor women members in the local, national and international
market by conducting various exhibitions. This facilitates
in providing regular employment to the women workers. The
sale of SEWA Craft shops (group of Design SEWA, Shantipath, Banascraft, Kutch, bead
work and puppets etc.) was Rs.15,78,900/-.
®
9,366 co-operative members earned Rs.8,94,70,450/-; milk co-operatives of Ahmedabad,
Gandhinagar and Radhanpur
made major contribution in this achievement.
Through
provisions of various services, different co-operatives
achieved sales targets as follows.
| Sr. No. |
Details |
Sales (Rs.) |
| 1 |
SEWA Kalakruti |
15,78,900/- |
| 2 |
Export
Services |
34,02,500/- |
| 3 |
Vegetable Shop |
50,51,790/- |
| 4 |
Design SEWA |
6,00,000/- |
| 5 |
MatsyaGandha Mandali |
9,38,137/- |
TOTAL |
1,15,71,327/- |
5.4 VEGETABLE
SHOP
Federation’s aim behind establishment of vegetable
shop in municipality operated wholesale market is to make
growers and vendors sustainable by way of linking them directly
without middlemen and other exploitative mechanisms. The
federation also ensures proper arbitration between them.
®
During the year 2004, total sale of Rs. 50,51,790/- was made which comprises
of 700 farmers.
®
This year along with Kheda
Association 216 members were provided loan of Rs.
6,85,000/-.
®
49 meetings were conducted at Kheda, Ahmedabad and Mehsana districts in which 1,120 members participated. These
participants were given information on setting up vegetable
shop.
5.5 FISH SELLERS
®
Established wholesale Fish Shop at Holi Chakla, Ahmedabad,
which removed the role of mediators and helped women increase
their income. This year there was sale of Rs.9,38,137/-
®
Federation mutually with Government of
Gujarat arranged training session of aquarium cleaning for
the members.
®
Federation in co-ordination with fishery
department of Gujarat government
arranged training on fish processing at Veraval.
The main aim of training was to increase the income form
preparing fish pickle in the odd-seasons.
®
25 fish sellers got insurance and 265 women
affiliated with SEWA Bank.
®
Co-operative Movements celebrated 100 years
of its initiation. On this day Shri
Gujarat State Womens SEWA Co-operative
Association Ltd. organised a seminar to celebrate 100 years
(1904-2004) of Indian Co-operative Movement. The premise
of the seminar was to enlighten women associations about
the other women associations affiliated with the federation.
5.6 DESIGN
SEWA
Design SEWA, established in 1991, is a medium by which
Federation provides services like training, product development
and provision of marketable designs to labourers, co-operatives
and workers in activities like printing, embroidery, appliqué
work, cane work and puppet making. In a way, Design SEWA
help members of such organisations become Master Craft persons
and designers.
Considering the expansion and growth and span of activities
together with the experience of working with cooperatives,
SEWA Federation proposes to continue and expand the current
base of services together with adding new initiatives to
it’s cooperatives to make them compatible to increasing
market demands and make them locally and globally competitive.
During the year 36,873 samples were designed in the
design cell of SEWA. These samples are designed mainly for
the purpose of exports.
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