Sahakar Bharti Himachal Pradesh Organises Training Program for Self Help Groups in Bilaspur
Bilaspur, 26 Feb 2025 — Sahakar Bharti Himachal Pradesh has successfully completed a four-day free training camp for self-help groups in Bilaspur district. The program was conducted to empower local women by developing their skills, Hari Devi and Chhat villages of Gram Panchayat Lehri Sarail and Gram Panchayat Chhat respectively. The project aimed to create more avenues for the participants to be self-employed and the economic development through the practical training in making and selling the products.
The training camp concluded with a closing ceremony in Chhat, where Raksha Kapil, Bilaspur District Cooperative Union Vice President; Dev Dutt Sharma, Sahakar Bharti National Executive Member were the chief guests. Rajendra Jagota, State Treasurer, Sahakar Bharti, and Sunil Sharma, District General Secretary, were also present on the occasion.
During her address to the participants, Raksha Kapil, highlighted women’s role in SHGs and urged them to make the best of the training programs which would help them to become financially independent. “Self-help groups cannot be just a fancy theory or just on paper,” she said. “Those groups need to roll up their sleeves and do the work locally to create real economic opportunities, and women should be at the center of that transformation.”
Kapil also called upon women to enrol in training programs on product-making so as to sharpen their skills and, in turn make their families and communities economically stronger and self-reliant. She emphasized that self-help groups should be all about sustainability and self-reliance through actions.
Sahakar Bharti’s Role for Empowering Woman
Sahakar Bharti National Executive Member Dev Dutt Sharma said that Sahakar Bharti is working along with women to change the society through cooperation. Sahakar Bharti is a non-political body that works to promote and propagate the cooperative model in the society, especially amoung the ladies,” he said. He said the organization would also hold a state convention of Self-help groups in Nurpur, Himachal, in June, to strengthen the network of women cooperatives in the state.
Sharma said, “We are focused on developing the economic independence of women by giving them the tools and training required to succeed.” “For Sahakar Bharti, the focus is on creating a sustainable and cooperative ecosystem, enabling women to be self-sufficient and an integral part of the economy in their communities.”
Support and Contributions from the Local Community
The event also featured a special completion by B. O. Pradhan Neelam Pathania and B. O. Secretary Renu Jamwal, who were commended for their key role in organizing training camp. The two thanked Sahakar Bharti for its efforts to organize such useful programs directly benefiting local women and their households.
The programme was also addressed by Rajendra Jagota, Sahakar Bharti’s Provincial Treasurer, and Sunil Sharma, the District General Secretary, emphasising on Sahakar Bharti’s continuous struggle for empowering women in self help groups. In the meantime, they advised the participants to take full advantage of such training opportunities, which are designed to be self-sustaining and serve as a means for generating additional income streams.
Women Training and Skill Development
The workshop gave practical training on various household products which are essential in day to day life. It equipped them for the complete journey—from preparing the product to packaging to marketing it post-selection. They were taught how to produce quality standard products and also how to market them for sustainability.
Women Village Organization Pradhan, from Block Indora, Suresh Bala played a key role in facilitation of the training program. With the guidance of Bala, the head trainer, the members of the self-help group were trained in practical skills to be effectively implemented at their community level.
“The response of the participants was overwhelming,” said Raksha Kapil. “These women want to learn, they want to grow, and we here at our organization want to help them, every step of the way.”
Going forward, She added, the raw materials required to make the products would also be supplied to these groups. Despite several areas of improvement, the enthusiasm shown by the local self-help groups at the camp indicates that the initiative can definitely run here and will be a blessing in keeping up the positive spirit of women’s entrepreneurship.
A Step Toward Empowerment
This is just one of the hundreds of cooperative models which are working towards women empowerment and the same was witnessed at the training camp organized by Sahakar Bharti Himachal Pradesh. With continued support and skill-building opportunities, self-help groups will continue to play a vital role in contributing to the local economy and creating a culture of self-reliance.
Such initiatives are empowering womenfolks from Bilaspur and adjoining areas with training, funds and the confidence to start their own business and boost the family income. These years will continue to serve communities, as the program expands.
The importance of establishing such a self-help group among women in Bilaspur can only be realized from the fact that there has been no such endeavor so far in the district, and with the huge participation and support from organizations like Sahakar Bharti, the aim of economic emancipation for the womenfolk in Bilaspur seems imminent.
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