RULES AND REGULATIONS KEEPS GROUPS’ OPERATIONS ALIVE

 

Members of Unity Group attending a weekly meeting on 1/11/2014

A group of Women and Men in Torit town, the State Capital of Eastern Equatoria, in South Sudan; have found a new way of saving a small part of their own income which is later awarded to the members in form of loan.

Two groups, one known as Unity Group at Fodo-fodo Boma and the other known as Alfa group at Ilangi Boma have been formed under the initiative of Village Savings and Loans Association (VSLA), with the intention of empowering women so that they become self-reliant.

Most of the beneficiaries of the empowerment program are already having income generating activities in Torit market.

Helen Francis, one of the members of Unity Group said the village saving group will help them in paying school fees for their children.

 “We started the registration in the market, and then we came to the office of SARRA. We were trained by an organization called CORDAID, some people thought the organization was going to give money, but after three weeks of training, we sat down to start our contributions. Our contributions accumulated until now we have started taking loan from it. We in the market, are raising our children through difficulties, the loan is going to help us in paying school fees, buying of exercise books, pens and papers for our children. After nine months, we will be able to train some people” said Helen.

Members of the Unity group, on Saturday 1^st November 2014 sat for a meeting to continue with their contributions and also to receive their first loan amounting to 200 South Sudanese Pounds for each of the fifteen members out of 30 in the group.

Hassan Abdallah Hamis Abdallah, one of members for Unity group said the group agreed to contribute a minimum of 10 South Sudanese Pounds which accumulated to three thousand South Sudanese Pounds (3,155 SSP) in seven weeks from September 2014.

“We agreed that our minimum contribution will be 10 SSP, those who can pay 20, 30 SSP, and above depending on once income would have their amounts recorded against their names on the savings book” Abdallah said.

Hassan said the loan will be paid back after 45 days with an interest of 10% of the amount taken.

The group has set a number of rules and regulations to guide its operations. Rispa Hiyalla, Chairperson of the group cited payment of one South Sudanese Pound as a fine for each member who comes late in a meeting as one of the rules. She said the fine together with a social fund of 2 SSP paid by each member, is used to facilitate activities of the group including buying water and hiring chairs for use during meetings.

A self-selected group is the criteria used for the formation of groups which ranges from 15 to 30 members. The registration of group members was facilitated by Solidarity Association for Relief and Recovery Affairs (SARRA) with support from CORDAID.

Rispa Hiyalla encourages women and men to form more other groups to be able to benefit from the trainings and the loans for the progress of group members.