Mahila SEWA Cooperative Bank.

(We may be poor but we are so many)

To address the systematic barriers and challenges at the grass root level with regards to
financial services available to the low income earning women in the informal sector, SEWA
Bank was established in the year 1974. Since then it revolutionized the financial services for
low-income communities. It provides access to financial capital and traditional banking
services to women in rural India. it has reached thousands of women across India. During its
establishment, 4000 members got registered who had contributed Rs. 10 each to create a corpus
fund. Since then, co-op. bank has been progressing in its full swings. It had a membership of
4,71,653 women in the year 2016-17 with a total deposits of Rs. 24,374 lakhs. The working
capital was Rs. 34,593 lakhs in that year and the organisation had sanctioned loans and
advances to the tune of Rs. 14,842 lakhs. It has blossomed with high growth rates every year
earning a profit of Rs. 161.58 lakhs in 2012-13 to Rs. 366 lakhs in 2016-17. Hence it could be
said that the women of the informal sector are gaining good benefits of collectivism through
the model of a cooperative bank promoted by Self-Employed Women’s Association (SEWA).