Three hundred and forty families in one community are participating in a savings project assembled by the local Justice Hub.
At the beginning of the year, the Justice Hub team discovered that certain survivors of bonded labor were struggling to meet their basic needs. Because parents did not have enough money to provide for schooling, many children were not attending school.
Discouraged, some families were becoming vulnerable to being re-trafficked into bonded labor.
The Justice Hub team devised a plan to provide the community with basic financial literacy. They held community meetings and shared best practices for financial independence. They gave each family a clay pot to begin the practice of saving a few rupees every day. As survivors got accustomed to the practice, some families even dug a hole inside their huts to bury the pot to avoid the temptation to break the pot and take out the money.
As families have adapted to the discipline of saving, they have experienced increasing financial freedom. One family saved enough to provide for their daughter’s wedding. This example inspired others in the community to continue and increase saving.
The aftercare team is planning to provide additional clay pots as the project continues.
