Ailing credit society for Kamathipura sex workers gets new lease of life
A Delhi-based NGO, India 800, has offered to bear the administrative expenses of the ailing Sangini Women’s Co-operative Credit Society.
Country’s only cooperative society for commercial sex workers, which was facing severe financial crunch for the last six months, has finally got some relief after DNA carried a report highlighting its plight.
A New Delhi-based NGO, India 800, has offered to bear the administrative expenses of the ailing Sangini Women’s Co-operative Credit Society. The society was facing sever fund crunch after its previous sponsor backed off in 2010. The society has over 4,000 members from different red light districts of the city. DNA’s report “Sun setting on sex workers’ financial hope” on January 31 helped the credit society to get a new sponsor.
Due to lack of fund, the society had closed down it Bhiwandi and Vashi branches. Its only branch at Kamthipura branch is operational, but it has reduced its staff.
Located in Kamathipura, city’s oldest and largest red light district, Sangini Women’s Co-operative Credit Society was set up in 2007 to provide financial services to commercial sex workers. Half of its staff left the job in December 2010 after the society failed to renew their contracts due to lack of funds.
This society provides a facility where sex workers can save money to educate their children and also send savings to their families back in home.
Dr Krishna Sarda of India 800 said, “We will bear all expense for running this society. Sangini will be a one stop shop for them to access small loans, transfer money, financial literacy classes, legal services and health insurance plans.”
It is the only banking institution that did not require sex workers to submit numerous documents while applying for a savings account. Sangini would just take photographs of the account holder and create an account. Customers can deposit amounts as little as Rs five in their accounts. This bank was started by a Washington-based NGO working for sex workers.
Dr Shilpa Merchant, who was president of this society, said: “The bank was doing well till 2010. We do not have sponsors to take care of the administrative expenses. The biggest success of the institution was that sex workers were able to save money. It’s a great help that India 800 came forward to help us.”
“This will of great help. This is the only place where we can keep our savings. Before this bank, we used to give our savings to panwalas and hotel owners,” said a sex worker on the condition of anonymity.