Socio Economic Impact of Multipurpose Cooperative on Women (A Case Study of Samridhi Multipurpose Co-Operative Ltd Bharatpur, Chitwan)

Abstract

The present study Impact of Multipurpose Co-operative on Women: A Case Study of Sambridhi Multipurpose Co-operative Ltd Bharatpur -11 Chitwan is based on primary information collected from field survey. This study analyzes the socio-economic condition of cooperative among women particularly in Bharatpur. This study is based upon the primary data collected from the field survey. This involves 142 women members of Sambridhi Multipurpose Cooperative Limited. 50 were taken as sampled women to collect information. This study is an attempt to analyze the socio-economic effect on females and their roles and participation in women empowerment process. According to afore research, members were found to have been socially and economically empowered through the cooperative and able to run their income generating activities. Awareness program by different organization and training has brought about positive change in the life of member. Uneducated and under educated women involved in this co-operative have been more confident after joining in the cooperative. It has increased mobility in a life of women who used to be limited in their house hold activities and restricted within boundary of their house. They have got social prestige and gained respect from their family after being member of cooperative.

Some members have been able to support their family fully through the income generating activities. There was a great change in their perspective, attitude, authority, prestige, knowledge, ability awareness and social relationship and so the cooperative had established a good harmony and co-operation among all the members. This had brought a new vision in traditional social discrimination practice. However all the women had not progressed at the same level. The poor women had gained more than the so called poor women from lower middle class and middle class. Existing domination in these families had limited their progress than the others. The research shows that income alone does not raise the status of women. The problem must be tackled both socially and economically by raising the awareness of women and community member. Mostly executive committee comprises of undereducated members somehow poor and uneducated women feel comfortable to share their feeling and problems. This has brought about change in attitude of all the community people and make them equal partner in development.

However the activities implemented to improve the status of the women by SMC has been found successful to some extent to empower women through different programs which include field survey perfect motivation, dynamic group formation, training, credit disbursement community development and various other awareness programs.