Lutheran World Relief extended support to DISHA since October 2001 to involve dalit women and their families in developmental work in 20 villages of Bodhgaya block. During this course DISHA established 156 self-help groups of dalit women and trained the members and the group leaders in managing their groups democratically. The groups were linked to financial institutions in Bodhgaya as thrift and credit groups and in turn after observing the functions of the groups the self-help groups were extended loans through the scheme of the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development for micro enterprises. DISHA’s programmes promoted a economic development through the self-help approach as a sustainable means to improve lives of the marginalized dalit communities. The children of the dalit women members of the self-help groups received educational inputs through non-formal education and were enrolled in the formal schools. The enabling environment created by DISHA through various ways for participation of the community and the marginalized sections in the mainstream set in process a change for enhanced family support and more gender sensitivity in the area.
