Finding Time to Work

by Dan Morrison

Friday November 14, 2008 at 6:14am, EST

We get a lot of questions about why 1Well doesn’t fund entrepreneurs and I spend a lot of time differentiating 1Well from micro-finance organizations. This trip has made it very clear that I am wrong; we do in fact fund entrepreneurs. A few stories:

Chandabenben is from Sonalnagar village. We had the pleasure of meeting the four generations of women that live in her house – her mother, herself, her daughter and her granddaughter. The house consists of two thatched two thatched roofed structures – a living area and a kitchen. For cooking, she burns wood her family collects every day. Her daughter spends a few hours traveling up to 8 kilometers to collect 10-20 kilos of wood every day, which she carries home. If the wood collected is not sufficient, Chandabenben makes patties from cow dung to burn as fuel.  Larger families can buy a truckload of wood for 400-500 rupees ($10-12), but that is not even an option for the vast majority.

The families of Sonalnagar have asked for biogas plants – a small structure built underground on the side of a house that mixes manure from cattle – ox, buffalo, cows – with water that creates gas for cooking and heating. A family of 6-10 needs 25 kilo of manure (the amount four animals create), mixes it with 25 liters of water, which then produces 2 hours of gas in the morning and 2 hours of gas in the evening. The gas runs from the biogas unit via a rubber hose into the house where it connects to a small stove.

The discussion today was not about biogas but about work. Chandabenben shares that, “before I became a part of SEWA, I thought my work was collecting wood and making cow patties. But that takes away from my ability to earn an income and take care of my family. I need to reduce unproductive activities and focus on farming that produces food for my family and in good years, brings in additional income.”

Lalaben, mother of four, is excited about the possibility of installing a biogas unit in her home because, “it will allow me to pursue my embroidery and sewing. Not collect wood means I can produce more embroidery that I can sell.” Kankuben and Kuwarben see the same opportunity.

The extra income is critical. People use it to send their kids to school, buy insurance, and save. All of this leads to a more secure life. It is SEWA’s main goal to create this type of “livelihood security.”

What is true for biogas is true for water. Sitaben from Kapurashi village is planning to farm on her small plots of land because she now has access to a more secure source of water. Childcare also produces work. Women of Vera can send their children to childcare from 8AM to 4PM and earn full-time income at work.

So 1Well does fund entrepreneurs, but our currency is time. We are partnering with communities to free up time spent meeting basic needs – water, food, and energy – to allow for productive and income producing activities. Villagers that have partnered with 1Well have plans for starting small soap and incense businesses, producing embroidery for sale, increasing their farming output, and opening shops. It is 1Well’s goal to work with micro-finance organizations to help these entrepreneurs access loans when they need them. In Gujarat, SEWA is already providing these vital services.

For a chance to partner with a community in need of small but critical projects, visit www.1Well.org and browse our Available Projects or make a contribution to a Project in Progress.