CENTRE FOR SELF-HELP DEVELOPMENT

Institute of micro-finance and cooperative development.

Sahara SACCOS Awarded with Micro-entrepreneurship Development Award while Phulkumari, Babita and Premkumari Designated the Best Entrepreneurs for the

The  Centre for Self-help Development (CSD) awarded Micro-entrepreneurship Development Award and Best Entrepreneurs award for the year 2023 2023 on the occasion of  its 32nd Anniversary celebration function organized on August 13, 2020 (28 Shrawan, 2080).  Entrpreneureship Develkopment Award was awarded to Sahara Nepal SACCOS for their outstanding contribution in grooming, developing and promotion of entrepreneurs in their MFIs. The award carries a cash prize of Rs. One lakh. Sahara Nepal Bachat Tatha Rin Sahakari Sanstha Ltd. was established in 1996 having working areas at that time in then three VDCs of Jhapa district which were Chairpane, Arjundhara and Ghailadubba. During its establishment share capital of Rs. 34,000 was collected from its 34 institutional shareholders.  It is currently the largest microfinance cooperative in Nepal. The cooperative aims to provide facilitates to its members in areas such as finance, health and education. Sahara has extended its service in areas like mobile banking, tablet banking, ATM, Cash Deposit Machine and QR Code. It has also provided facilities to its members through Real Time Service. It is currently working in 6 district of Nepal which are Jhapa, Morang, Sunsari, Illam, Panchthar and Udayapur. In view of its outstanding performance, it was awarded Top Cooperative Business Award, 2060,   by National Cooperative Federation of Nepal, Top Microfinance Partnership Award, 2064, and Top Microfinance Partnership Award, 2065, by RMDC Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Ltd. It was also awarded Maximum Biogas Construction Award, 2066, by the then President of Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal, Credit Union Microfinance Innovation (CUMI) Performance Award for excellent outreach of the poor by the Association of Asian Confederation Credit Unions (ACCU), Thailand in 2012. It has also been accredited by “Smart Campaign, Client Protection Certification” in the year 2021.  Currently it has share capital of Rs 1.63 billion and loan outstanding of Rs. 13 billion. Sahara SACCOSS has been rendering its services through 80 service centers with its 515 staff for one lakh sixty thousand members. It also delivers credit plus services in more than 24 headings like education and health, social security.

Sahara has been implementing enterprise development activities through program specific strategic plan. It plans to make Jhapa district self-sufficient in meat, honey and dairy products. Similarly, it has been developing various regions of Jhapa as ‘special production zone’ based on its comparative advantage and rendering its services in those regions. In those regions it provides various services like marketing of clients’ goods, incorporating those outputs in value chain and promotion of enterprise based on fair price. In order to sell the products produced by its members, it has assisted other members to establish selling depot and distribution center. It has also supported member clients in areas like processing, quality control packaging and branding for goods like honey and dairy products produced by them.

It has initiated activities like youth self-employment program and introduced ten social business program in areas like education, health, agriculture and energy, science and technology. For this Sahara has established health and enterprise development department. Currently it order to assist its members in areas like agriculture and livestock it has currently recruited 1 veterinary doctor and 11 agriculture technicians. The staff members visit houses of the members and provide them technical services.

Additionally, it provides services to ultra poor members in areas like habilitation and enterprise development, environment friendly village development as well as provides access in areas like clean/renewable energy and concept of 3 Zero.

Similarly, Best Entrepreneureship Award 2023 was awarded to Ms. Babita Marlmlung from Chulachuli-4, Siddhartha Tole of Illam district who is the member of the Swabalamban Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Ltd., Ms. Phool Kumari Tharu from Gulariya-12, Bhaisahi of Bardiya district who is the member of the Unique Nepal Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Ltd, and Ms. Prem Kumari oli from Rapti Sonari -1, Kusum of Banke district who is a member of the Upakar Laghubitta Bittiya Sanstha Ltd. All the three awardees received a cash prize of Rs. 25 thousand and letter of appreciation. Among the awardees, Phul Kumari and Prem Kumari are agricultural entrepreneurs, while Babita Maremlung is a successful and exemplary entrepreneur in the textile business.

On the occasion former Board Members of CSD Mr. Ram Kumar Shrestha, Mr. Arjun Kumar Shrestha, Mr. Mani Kumar Arjyal, Mr. Sudhir Kumar Shrestha and Dr. Gopal Dahit were also given letter of appreciation for their invaluable contribution in discharging their duty during their tenure as Board Members.

Chief Guest Mr. Maha Prasad Adhikari, Governor of Nepal Rastra Bank and Chairperson of the ceremony Mr. Shankar Man Shrestha, Chairman of CSD handed over letter of appreciation and the awards to the concerned individuals and institutions. About 280 guests from various organizations as well as well-wishers were present on the occasion.

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