Davidson and Sanyal (2017) explored whether women who participate in SHGs have larger social networks than non-participants in 75 villages in Karnataka, India. They found that SHG participants, despite being more socioeconomically disadvantaged than non-participants, had significantly more incoming ties from nonkin than both non-participant women and men, which improved their access to resources and increased their social capital.
Read MoreIn 2005, the Government of Tamil Nadu launched its Pudhu Vaazhvu Project (PVP) in 2,300 village panchayats throughout the state. PVP used SHGs to reduce economic vulnerability and increase women’s agency and empowerment. In this study, Parthasarathy et al. (2017) used text-as-data methods to determine whether PVP induced women’s participation within village assemblies (gram sabha) and concluded that the project did in fact increase women’s attendance, propensity to speak and length of floor time.
Read MoreTear Netherlands and Tearfund UK partnered to implement a food security program in the Horn of Africa (Kenya, Ethiopia, Somaliland), with SHGs playing a central role. The final evaluation of the program evaluated the impact of the initiative on the food security and resilience of the most marginalized in the area. The evaluation team found that SHG members, especially longer standing ones, were better able than non-members to withstand shocks such as drought and were better placed for recovery.
Read MoreThe University of Reading evaluated modalities for delivering emergency assistance to SHGs during the 2015 drought in Ethiopia. The study involved 230 groups receiving 30 USD per SHG member. The study found that SHGs with transfers saved and invested more; there was no damage to the capital accumulation from before the cash transfer; and social structures were unaffected.
Read MoreIn twenty-five villages in Uttar Pradesh, India, Aruldas et al. (2017) qualitatively explored the connection between SHG membership and care-seeking for maternal and newborn illnesses. Though cultural practices hindered prompt care seeking for both SHG households and non-SHG households, there was some evidence that SHG households were seeking care sooner.
Read MoreEntz et al. (2016) reviewed both academic and grey literature to determine that Self Help Groups/Savings Groups had a net positive impact on food security. Out of 18 reports reviewed, 17 showed some improvement in household food consumption, reduction in lean months, increase in meals per day, increased diversity in diet, reduction in “suffering” due to food insecurity or increases in food security indices.
Read MoreThe Overseas Development Institute (ODI) compared SHG and Savings Groups (SG) programming by Tearfund, CARE, Oxfam, CST and COSAP in Ethiopia in 2016. The study assessed the outcomes and change pathways of the organizations’ various approaches as well as the impact micro-finance has on the SG/SHGs.
Read MoreDas et al. (2016) evaluated the effect SHG membership had on women’s political engagement in Indian village assemblies. They found that SHG membership in 17 major states was positively and strongly associated with increased attendance in village assemblies.
Read MoreThe Tufts Feinstein International Center evaluated the role of Self Help Groups in building drought resilience in the 2015/2016 drought in Ethiopia. The study found that mature Self Help Groups were better able to protect their livestock, better able to reduce their group savings without reducing payments, and better able to maintain their household food supply.
Read More