Jeeva Jyothi believes that lasting solution could be found to the social, cultural, economic and political problems that we face today only with the active participation and empowerment of women.

It is with this firm belief in the capacity of women, Jeeva Jyothi wants to organize women and empower them to make a mark in the community at large.

1997 – First step forward
In the year 1997, during our work with the child workers in Mettupalayam neighborhood in Chennai, we initiated contact with their mothers. The women were engaged in foot wear making and were forcing their children also to work in the trade. Jeeva Jyothi wanted to enroll the child workers in Non Formal Education classes but their mothers objected.

To help them overcome their ignorance, to better their own living and working conditions and to motivate them to educate the children, we started organizing the women. The first action of the group was to start a ‘Savings scheme’ within the group. They saved Rs.2/- (around 5 cents U$). As the money saved accumulated, the members of the group gained self confidence. They felt empowered because of group action. This group then started looking around and found problems that needed their attention. They started discussing their living and working conditions and took remedial steps. Medical camps were conducted. They realized the need to send their children to school and not to work.

With success in the first step, we started mobilizing women in different areas in Chennai and adjoining Thiruvallur district. Notable among the first groups is our experience with commercial sex worker group and women engaged in beggary using their children. The ‘Savings scheme’ helped as unifying factor in these groups.

1999 – Women’s Association
The amount accumulated in the Savings scheme was deposited in a Bank. The groups were formed into an association called ‘Jeeva Jyothi Women’s Association’. By-laws were framed by the members. One of the salient features of the bylaws is that ‘No child in the member’s family shall be a child worker’. The women also made it clear that they shall monitor their children’s education.

2000 – Women ‘Self Help Groups’
The work with women in the two districts gained momentum with large number of women being mobilized.

The government of Tamil Nadu had formed a separate department for women’s affairs called ‘Tamil Nadu Women Development Corporation’. Through this department, the government encouraged formation of women ‘Self Help Groups (SHG)’ in all the villages and localities for the economic and social upliftment of women. The government gave recognition to these groups, provided training, encouraged enterprises and banks were willing to give loans.

Jeeva Jyothi availed this opportunity and converted its ‘Women’s Associations’ into women SHGs. From then on, there is no looking back! Jeeva Jyothi’s women groups became a ‘force to reckon with’ with hundreds of groups in Chennai city and Thiruvallur districts.