The urban poor that Ujjivan serves lead a tough life. Whether it’s their children’s education, or their spouse’s business or even running day-to-day household chores, these women have to put in every effort to improve their lives.

So, it was a big surprise when over 725 such women customers at Magadi Road branch in Bangalore approached Ujjivan, said they wanted to monetarily help their local community by themselves.

During the course of microfinance operations, customers sometimes have to pay a token fine for not attending centre meetings regularly. At the end of the loan cycle, this fine amount is returned to the centre (comprising 25 women). Over a period of a year, Ujjivan had collected Rs.15195 by virtue of these token fines, from 29 centres.

It was this amount that the customers wanted to utilise as charity to their local community initiatives. And so it turned out that this group of women went about using the money to purchase utensils and stationery for 16 anganwadis (child care centres) and for the children these cater to, donated toiletries to an Old Age Home, gave away new mats and bed sheets to an orphanage and even helped raise money for the eye operation of neighbour’s child.

Louisa, a 37-year old with two children, whose husband works as a school van driver while she runs a tailoring business, decided to support a local institute for disabled children. She said, “Just the way we have been helped by Ujjivan, we wanted to help other disadvantaged neighbours”. Together, Louisa and her group members used their fine amount to purchase puzzles and educational stationery as well as provisions for the institute, which helps children with autism, polio etc.

Thangamani, another 40-year old customer who is a flowers and toys vendor, along with her centre members, donated to an orphanage in the area. She says, “It’s because these children don’t have anyone to call their own”. Savitrama, one of the group members said, she had heard about the Social Development programs being conducted by Ujjivan and was inspired by this to do something for the community themselves.

Usha Rani and Mangala said that members of their group unanimously decided to contribute money for the eye operation of Shashikala’s, one of their centre members, school-going son. Having kids of their own, Usha Rani and Mangala, have high aspirations and dreams for their children, educating them in the best schools. Empathetic to their neighbour, they wanted to help Shashikala achieve her aspirations for her son and hence took this step to contribute their hard-earned money for the well-being of the child.

It is indeed touching tales such as these, which humble Ujjivan. It is events such as these that reaffirm Ujjivan’s belief that lives can be made better, not only economically but also in terms of spirit.