All loans disbursed January 2007!

On January 28, 2007, the last checks of Rs 15,000 each were handed over to BASS members. Now, all 28 members have received their loans. Each member made their own contribution of Rs 5,000. 17 families have already purchased sheep and 8 more are in the process of buying during the next two weeks. The last 3 who were given checks on the 28th will buy sheep on clearance of their checks, which normally takes about 10 days. The final disbursement of checks was made by Venkat Ramanan, a board member of Ecselance International. We are all looking forward to the success of these projects.

May 2006 Update

Funds to start the training program for the entrepeneurs has been released and the following report was submitted by UB Shanker, the project manager of the project:
"We already have had two meetings with Dr. K. Jayanth Kumar, the Professor & Head of the Dept. of Community Medicine Department of M S Ramiah Medical College. They have agreed to send a team of doctors to accompany us on June 15th to conduct a medical camp at Guddalahalli for the villagers as well as the orphan children of BOSCO. We have also arranged to have a training program on micro-credit and also on the importance of savings. This will be some time next week. We are combining this with another training on water management. Our contact at the Bangalore University Veterinary College is currently out of station and on his return we will be arranging for a training program on sheep rearing."

Guddalahalli Village Background

Guddalahalli village is 80 kilometers (50 miles) from Bangalore. The population is about 600 spread in 85 houses and is mainly agriculture based. The rainfall is very little and they are totally dependent on the vagaries of nature for thier livelihood.

The Rotary club of North Banagalore along with Fr. Palli of BOSCO are the local development partners. They are supported by the Ft. Collins, Colorado Breakfast Rotary club in helping the community address its problems. In a meeting with 25 representatives of Guddlahalli village in August of 2004, the participants identified 20 problems and actions to address them. Some of the problems being addressed are new benches for the school, and driver training for youth who will then be able to get jobs.

Ecselance International has been working with the community on economic development. In August of 2005 an Enterpreneur Self-Help Group called BASS (Bovi Abhirudhi Seva Sangha) was formed. BASS established their loan policies, formed an advisory board, and identified their training needs. In addition, 30 families expressed interest in starting businesses primarily in sheep rearing. In October of 2005, Ecselance International raised the required funds to finance the training, insure the livestock, and provide loans to start the businesses. It is expected that the funds will be disbursed to the new entrepreneurs in February of 2006.

Our local development partner, the North Bangalore Rotary club, meeting with representatives of Guddalahalli village to discuss their community problems and actions to address them.