Vijaya sits with accounts ledgers and minute books on the ground in front of her. Placed proudly on display is also a plaque — a peacock in silver affixed to a wooden stand. It is an award given by the government of Tamil Nadu to the best self-help group (SHG) in the district of Tiruvannamalai.
The Pachiamman SHG has been around since 2003. There are nine other SHGs in the village of Kesavapuram, which is one of 27 villages under the Padavedu panchayat. The SHGs were created to help the women save and invest in small enterprises.
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