Balaji Sewa Sansthan

Balajee Sewa Sansthan is a progressive & promising non government organization (NGO) working on key development issues in the state of Uttarakhand & Bihar in India. With the direct coverage of 10,000 clients in 2 states of India as on 31st March'2013, we are able to work with underprivileged section of the community helping them meet their financial needs & fulfill their dream of becoming micro-entrepreneurs. Identifying the need of financial services to promote micro entrepreneurship in Himalayan region of Uttarakhand, Balajee Sewa Sansthan initiated the service of livelihood finance in these less credit penetrated villages. Through our 4 branches in Dehradun & Uttarkashi District of Uttarakhand & 1 branch in Patna district of Bihar we are covering 675 livelihood finance clients as on 31st March'2011. Access of credit at easy terms & at an affordable rate of interest has appealed our clients to start micro enterprises on their own at a small scale.

Functional areas of Balajee Sewa Sansthan mainly consist of-

1) Microfinance & Financial Literacy-While working among the poorer people we realized that main requirement of these people is not awareness alone but also access to institutional funds to start productive activities. People had basic skills to carry on their daily chores but they always remained short of funds. Whatever these people earned as daily wage earners/ vegetable selling and other small activities was spent on consumption needs. Shortage of funds and ever increasing demand for consumption and productive purpose pushed them to the lap of professional money lenders who charge exorbitant interest and it is almost impossible for a poor person to come out of their debt trap. It was basically for this reason that Society started Micro Finance operations among its client in February 2010. Believing that Micro Credit and Social objective don’t mix well we decided to separate Micro Finance Operations from the Social services and started financial activities under brand name of Sarthak Microfinance.

2) Health(HIV AIDS)-For the purposes of HIV and Migration, people who seek better livelihood and move from their place of origin in rural areas (source) to a town or city (destination), with the intention of settling temporarily or semi- permanently and return back to their origin for upto 3-6 months.Risk profile of migrants should include their period of stay, mobility, risk exposure, risk pattern.

3) Rural Tourism- To promote tourism in Uttarakhand Balajee Sewa Sansthan (BSS) an NGO started a project with the name Himalayan Gram. The idea to promote tourism is to develop rural parts of Uttarakhand and provide employment to the local residents and in the process introduce touristers to the immaculate beauty in this Himalyan region.

BSS is a society registered under Societies Registration Act’1860 working across the areas of North India on several key issues related to rural development, livelihood generation & financial inclusion. The organization aims at providing customers with a mix of product consisting of village home stays & stay in eco huts.

Tourism destinations selected are far from cities' crowded life & provides you a refreshing experience which fills up a new energy within yourself. Snow peak of Himalayas, Dense Deodar Forests & flawless river Bhagirathi and Alak Nanda are the major attractions of rural tourism provided by Himalayan Gram.(www.himalayangram.com)

4) Supplementary Education-Balajee Sewa Sansthan along with its partner organization is working on supplementary education & skill development for underprivileged youth belonging to lower strata of society.