Small Savings, Big Dreams: How Women are Coming Together to Change Families and Communities (SHG training)

Date: 9th and 10th June 2026

Places: Kalyanpuri and Madanpur Khadar

Who joined: 71 wonderful women

Resource Person : Mr. Stephen

At Discipleship Centre, we believe that when you empower a woman, you change an entire family. On the 9th and 10th of June, 71 bright and hopeful women came together in Kalyanpuri and Madanpur Khadar for a special training on how to start Self Help Groups (SHGs).

Learning from a Great Idea

The meeting started with a beautiful story about Professor Muhammad Yunus, a wise man who won the Nobel Peace Prize just for helping regular people save money. Our Resource person, Mr. Stephen, showed the women how they can do the same thing right in their own neighbourhoods.

He explained how simple it is:

• Step 1: Women come together in small teams. While a group can grow up to 20 people, starting with 5 close friends or neighbours is perfect.
• Step 2: Each group chooses three trusted friends to help guide them: a Leader, a Secretary, and a Treasurer.
• Step 3: Every single day, the women save a little bit of money—whatever small amount they can spare. Once a week, they meet up, put their money together in one safe place, and write down every detail in a notebook.
• Step 4: For the first seven months (from now until December), they keep the money safe among themselves. Then, come January, they can connect their group with a local National Bank, which makes growing their money much easier. 

Practicing Together with Joy

The best part of the training was watching the women practice what they learned. They laughed, talked, and formed practice groups right there on the spot.

In Kalyanpuri, they made 7 groups and gave them beautiful, hopeful names: Asha, Jyoti, Vijay, Khushi, Sakhi, Sathsath, and Ekta. In Madanpur Khadar, they made 5 groups named Ekta, Jeevan Jyoti, Asha, Prem, and Roshni. Every single group picked their leaders and practiced how they would keep their records.

Standing on Their Own Feet

The women left the training with big smiles and grateful hearts. For the first time, many realized they don’t have to borrow money from outsiders who charge heavy interest. If a child gets sick, or if someone wants to start a small business from home—like a tailoring shop or a tea stall—they can use their own hard-earned savings.

When a woman becomes financially independent, she gains confidence. She can take better care of her children, support her husband, and stand tall. And when these women join hands, they make the whole society stronger, tighter, and more united.

We already have 2 successful groups running in each of these areas, and after treating everyone to some well-deserved refreshments, we are excited for the future. We look forward to walking alongside these 71 brave women as they take these lessons home to build stronger families and a better tomorrow.