Eleutheros Christian Society (ECS) empowering women in Tuensang

A journey taken by 4000 women in Tuensang, to eventually achieve a saving of `2.2 crores and a cumulative inter group loan of `60 million began when a poor widow stood at the door step of Phutoli Chingmak a pastor’s wife seeking a loan of `2. Phutoli, could not digest as to what a two rupee loan could buy, but what troubled her most was ‘should society not give thought to have allowed anyone to the stage of begging for even `2’.

This episode soon let her to eventually engage Eleutheros Christian Society (ECS) a Tuensang based NGO to focus on mobilising women for formation into groups and for jointly undertaking business.

Currently ECS has 371 Self Help Groups (SHGs) empowering women and strengthening women’s self esteem. As an annual event, these SHGs organised a conference on February 23 and 24 at town hall, Tuensang.

Secretary of women’s department of Chang Baptist Church Association L. Noksen who was the chief guest at the inaugural session encouraged SHG members that as Christians one has to work diligently and earn with one’s own hands.

SHG federation also has within its fold the very poor and also four SHG groups comprising of HIV positive members. At the morning session, the guest speaker Vikashe, ADC stressed the need for looking beyond government subsidy and to continue to focus on thrift and self assertion of one’s true identity.

The evening devotional speaker Akala, Principal Baptist Thangjem School, while encouraging the members also spoke on the need to break down tribal and social barriers.

SHG conference was well attended by all its members and many major decisions were adopted.
One major resolution was to confederate the 15 EDOU federations into a confederation of ECS/SHGs and to take up social issues and enhance livelihood through promotion of entrepreneurship among the rural women.

A health policy of `100 per annum was introduced, where all medical expenses would be covered at the ECS health centre. ECS secretary Chingmak Kejong also announced that NABARD would soon provide a special ward only for SHG members. 

ECS press release informed that sales-day on February 23 was most encouraging as the total sale proceeded to `2.5 lakhs in just three hours.