Japan team interacts with women self-help groups

Our Correspondent

UNA, FEBRUARY 15

The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is ready to support the Swan Women Federation, working in the field of women empowerment in Una district. A JICA team consisting of Chisato Koseki, coordinator of the Volunteer Programme, Shekar Devasagayam, programme officer and Subroto Talokdar, Principal Development Officer, visited the spices processing unit and sales outlet of the the federation, besides interacting with members of the self-help groups.

Interacting with the federation members at Badheda village, Chisato Koseki said under the volunteer programme, experts from Japan assisted the ongoing activities of the local partner agency in India, adding that the professionals would live at the grassroot level for two years and extend all technical support.

The federation has more than 7,000 rural women who have been the members of 500 self-help groups. While the federation is a non-profit organisation, the financial aspects, including the small savings, loans, fixed deposits and recurring deposits are being looked after by its sister organisation, the Swan Women Cooperative Society.

Koseki said the professionals would provide new packaging designs and marketing support to the processed agricultural produce by the federation that included spices. The federation was processing manufacturing turmeric powder, chilli powder, coriander powder and mixed spices powder at the unit. Federation chairperson Subhadra Devi and chairperson of the cooperative society Raj Kumari were present.