Women's Dairy Co-op in India
Women's Dairy Coop in India
The Dairy Project was started by the Ashta No Kai (ANK) organization. ANK is an NGO that is dedicated to empowering rural women in India. Ashta No Ashta is Japanese that means "For a better tomorrow". ANK, through its efforts to promote and facilitate the capacity-building of marginalized women is seeking lasting solutions to illiteracy, poverty, economic inequities and social injustice. It aims to make a difference in village women’s lives by providing them with the education, vocational skills, and resources they need to become economically independent and self-reliant.
In the village of Sone Sanghavi (in the Pune District), 100 female members contributed 100 Rupees each to form the Shakti Women's Cooperative. Thirty pregnant cows, dairy equipment, includin an electronic scale, a milk fat analyzer, computer and printer were purchased from the Rotary matching grant donation. These cows were distributed to the women of the cooperative through interest-free loans. Today the cooperative enables each member to earn 2,500 to 3,000 Rupees per month and has a fund of more than 500k Rupees.
The Dairy project has had a diverse impact on the village, ranging from the provision of sustainable livelihood opportunities for women, to the promotion of a higher generation and better quality of milk production, thereby creating a better awareness of health amongst the rural population. In addition, women are able to take another step towards their own empowerment by being involved in dairy management, promoting a higher status for women as managers and income generators for the village economy.