Community Based Organizations (CBOs) are the backbone of any social work agency as they operate at the grass roots. According to CHASS, the Community Based Organizations referred to are the Local Social Service Units of CHASS representing different functional grassroots organizations of stakeholders, namely, Self Help Groups, Mahilasamajams, Farmers Clubs, Joint Liability Groups (JLGs) and Credit Union. This year, about 125,000 marginalized rural poor have been organizationally lined up duly substantiated by awareness and specific functions geared to self-reliant development.

A. Self Help Groups

Self Help Group (SHG) is a neighborhood fraternity of likeminded people with common objectives are facilitated to come together to participate in the development activities such as, mutual learning and cooperation, thrift& saving, credit and income generation thereby ensuring economic independence. It is a grassroots level people’s organization mainly intended to mobilize the human resource for community development. SHG phenomenon definitely brings group consciousness among members, a sense of belongingness, self-respect, sense of public participation, the enlarged horizon of social involvements and adequate self-confidence, etc.

SHG Profile

Death Fund Scheme 

This is special program promoted by CHASS for its SHG members for meeting the unexpected expenses for the death of their family member and so on. Under this scheme the SHG members contribute Rs. 1 each when a death or event occurs and CHASS will handed over the collected amount to the family targeted. This year 223 families were benefited under this scheme.

SHG and Community Banking

CHASS has always presented a good model of enforcing savings and credit discipline among its SHG members. All the SHGs have saving bank account in the nearest area bank branches in which all cash balances deposited after meeting the day to day business needs. In addition to this all the SHGs are linked to the village level Credit Unions functioning under the banner of CHASS.

Activities of SHGs

B. Joint Liability Groups

CHASS has taken initiatives to Form Joint Liability Groups as an effective tool to augment the flow of credit to farmers, especially small, marginal and tenant farmers taking up farm activities. JLGs are groups formed from existing SHG members comprising of 5 to 10 members. There are 195 actively functioningJoint Liability Groups in the operational area of CHASS.

C. CHASS Credit Union(Micro Finance Development cum Community Banking)

CHASS Credit Union is a micro finance development cum informal community banking promoted by CHASS in its operational area in the year 1987, now become a well-oiled Credit Union Program networked by 162 village Credit Unions making the rural economy vibrant. This also provides the significant mass base for the Society in all its participatory processes of community development. CHASS credit union covers 162 villages of Changanacherry Social Service Society and more than 63420 families and 1160 SHGs are direct members of this grassroots network.

CHASS Credit Union Program at a Glance

 Advance proportion in the year 2019-20

D. FARM Clubs

We are promoting ‘Farm Clubs’ targets a revived organic, but, integrated farming culture. There are 60 farmers clubs actively engaged in organic farming practices in the operational area of CHASS, of which 4 of them started this report period.

E. CHASS Local Units

Parish/village level Local Social Service Units of CHASS is the apex body of all the grassroots level people’s organizations functioning under the banner of CHASS. The Governing Body of the CHASS Local unit is duly constituted by the elected representatives of all the CBOs functioning under the umbrella of it. There are 165 local units duly affiliated to CHASS, of which 8 units started functioning this reporting period.