#47-25 Self-Help in Tamil Nadu India: from literacy to collective wellbeing 

Mahalir Association for Literacy Awareness and Rights or MALAR for short, grew out of a government-sponsored literacy program in the early 1990s. Women aggregated local self-help groups (known as SHGs) under the MALAR umbrella. Thirty years after its founding, MALAR wields collective financial power, supportive information, and many opportunities for jobs and leadership. It has touched the lives of more than 30,000 women and their families.

Guests: Sheline Mary, founding member, honorary President; Johnsily, Vice President; Dr. R. V. Bindu, academic researcher; Vasantha Latha, Vice president; Suseela, Joint secretary, block coordinator; Edwin Jaya Kumari, treasurer, block coordinator; Sindhuja, joint secretary, health coordinator; Pushpalatha, AIDWA Coordinator; Vijaya Lekshmi, President; Gino Bai, Secretary

Credits: Smita Ramanathan, co-host, script and interviews; Manju Venkat, co-host, audio recording and editing. Series producer, Frieda Werden.Voiceovers: Meenkashi Warrier, Aditi Parasavedi and Prema Kuruvila.

https://www.radio4all.net/files/wingsradionews@gmail.com/WINGS-47-25SelfHelpIndia-28_48-128kbps.mp3

Photo from the organization’s website, http://www.kkmalar.org/web/