Through the WID Program, women have been encouraged to become effective agents of change in the society. Bala Vikasa has created a community structure and has also designed a series of capacity building initiatives and development programs with the active participation of women at every stage.

Self Help Association (SHA) Structure

Bala Vikasa facilitates the formation of Self Help Groups (SHGs) at the grassroots level in the villages. There are 5 to 10 SHGs in a village and each SHG has 10-12 women as members. A cluster of 5-10 villages is described as an ‘Area’. The association of SHGs located in an ‘Area’ is called Self Help Association (SHA). Thus each ‘SHA’ comprises of approximately 80-100 groups. Every SHG elects one leader to represent the group. All the group leaders in turn elect 5 management committee members from among them and this body is called SHA Committee of that Area. At present BalaVikasa has 1,93,410 SHA members in 175 Areas, spread across 1553 villages in 23 districts of Andhra Pradesh.

Monthly group meetings

Every Bala Vikasa – SHG (Self Help Group) meets once a month on a fixed date and time for half a day. Women forgo their one day’s wage on the day of the meeting to ensure their attendance, as they find the monthly meetings educative and enriching. The meetings are not limited to financial activity as the groups provide wider platform for these women to explore, share, plan and evaluate their activities and move forward with collective strength.  Bala Vikasa Coordinators facilitate these meetings in their respective villages.

Area wise leaders training and review meetings

Leaders’ trainings are organized in all the Areas twice a year to build effective leadership.  During the training sessions, the leaders discuss crucial issues that affect their families and communities, and draw up action plans to address these problems.  Some of the important issues dealt during these meetings are about collectively working towards making their respective villages as model villages, reducing child labor, banning use of plastic, ensuring social justice to widows, eradicating discrimination of girl child, improving the environment, etc. Regular program activities are also reviewed and planned. Leaders elect SHA committee members during these training sessions.

SHA Committee members’ training and review meetings

Training for SHA committee members are conducted every month for one and half days, about 9 times a year, at Bala Vikasa PDTC, Warangal.  Committee members review all their activities and draw up detailed program plans for the coming month. The founder, Mrs. Bala Theresa, and Bala Vikasa women coordinators personally interact with the members and inspire them to be committed to the development of their communities. These training sessions add great value and help the committee members to use their soft skills in effectively addressing various issues in the villages. SHA members play effective leadership role in their respective villages and render voluntary services, leading to greater sustainability of the communities and the programs.

Coordinators’  Training and review meetings

Coordinators’ trainings are organized every month for two and half days at Bala Vikasa, PDTC, Warangal. The coordinators travel from different parts of the state to participate in these trainings. This regular training and review activity has added great value, as the Coordinators play a key role in taking forward the WID program into the remote villages of Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka. The Coordinators are guided by the staff members at these meetings. They review and plan activities to address various issues relevant to their local areas.  Participants also share their work experiences in their respective Areas adding to the common knowledge and learning process. Overall, regular training and the review meetings have enabled the Coordinators to take forward Bala Vikasa mission of empowering rural women, with greater commitment and zeal. 

Area Level Conventions
Area level conventions are organized once a year for one day at the respective Area centers. All the women of that particular Area, and at times from two or three Areas, together participate in the convention. Members not only forgo one day’s wage, but also pay their own travel to participate in the convention. Key activities and issues of the Area are discussed during these meetings. Area Annual Report of all the activities of the year is read out during the convention. Local donors, leaders, government officers, people’s representatives are invited to participate in the convention. Members feel a sense of unity and solidarity during these meetings and even come forward to support the orphan children of their Area.

State Level Convention for Leaders
The state level convention for the leaders is organized for a day, once a year at Warangal. The participants come from all over the state forgoing one day’s wage and paying Rs.200 as registration fees to participate in the convention.  Last year’s convention dealt with the theme ‘Woman’s role in village development’. Likewise every annual convention deals with a relevant theme and the inputs are provided by appropriate resource persons. Leaders receive motivation to work for the common cause and bring transformation in the society. Annual Report of the entire WID program is read out at the meeting. Leaders feel energized and empowered while they also experience unity and solidarity at the convention.