Cutting and Clipping Our featured borrower of the month is Sandhya Das from west Bengal for her unusual occupation. She and her husband work hard to give their son a good education. more »

Cutting and Clipping Our featured borrower of the month is Sandhya Das from west Bengal for her unusual occupation. She and her husband work hard to give their son a good education. Their son is currently pursuing a commerce degree and Sandhya is proud that he will be a graduate soon.

Sanshya at her workshop.

For the last five years Sandhya has been cutting tin sheets and making small clips that are used to bind the steel straps on packages by packers and movers. She will use the loan to buy tin sheets in bulk and is confident of achieving her goals. Close

	Microfinance- A New Direction. Smita deliberates on the Malegam report and voices her beliefs. The unfolding of the Andhra Pradesh crisis and all the efforts to regulate the microfinance industry reaffirms the need for Rang De as an initiative. more »

Microfinance- A New Direction. Smita deliberates on the Malegam report and voices her beliefs. The unfolding of the Andhra Pradesh crisis and all the efforts to regulate the microfinance industry reaffirms the need for Rang De as an initiative. At the inception of Rang De, when we spoke about lowering the interest rates, we were often brushed aside or questioned about interest rates being co-related to indebtedness in any way. A report by a committee led by none other than the nation's best Chartered Accountant Y.H Malegam recommends that microfinance be used for helping the poor and not to make profit out of the poor. His responses to questions regarding the recommendations can be found here: Microfinance cos have been neglecting the poor and are very much in line with Rang De's mandate for its field partners. All this reaffirms the very beliefs on which Rang De was based - that microcredit needs to be affordable and holistic if at all it needs to make an impact in the lives of people. Check our blog An inconvenient truth for more on the subject.

Close

	A Unique Celebration The US chapter came up with a unique way to celebrate Republic day and the Rang De anniversary. An online event “Week of Social Investments” from the 20th to the 26th of January. more »

A Unique Celebration

The US chapter came up with a unique way to celebrate Republic day and the Rang De anniversary. An online event “Week of Social Investments” from the 20th to the 26th of January urged everyone to invest with Rang De to prove that the spirit of "Of the People, By the People, and For the People" was still alive. The amount was matched by a US chapter member and the total investments for the week totalled Rs.53, 3000. We love their passion and inimitable style and are truly impressed.

Close

	On The Road Rang De team member Srihari started the new year with a field trip to parts of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. He also visited potential field partners and came back with useful insights. more »

On The Road

Rang De team member Srihari started the new year with a field trip to parts of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh. Apart from the evaluations of some of our borrowers in Madhya Pradesh, he also visited potential field partners and came back with useful insights and recommendations. Our operations team is now busy going through the details with a fine-toothed comb. The evaluations of our borrowers in a slum in Gwalior showed that the small loan has had a positive impact on their lives and all of them were happy with it. As in most rural areas of the country, they had no idea of the rate of interest being charged but were aware of the amount to be repaid.

Srihari asks Bano details of her loan utilisation.

Ramabatti’s grocery store supported by a Rang De loan.

Close

	Marathon Mania The much awaited Mumbai marathon on 16th January was everything it promised to be and more. Rang De made its presence felt, with the help of the Mumbai chapter members, Axis Bank, and a generous dose of enthusiasm and zeal. more »

Marathon Mania

The much awaited Mumbai marathon on 16th January was everything it promised to be and more. Rang De made its presence felt, with the help of the Mumbai chapter members, Axis Bank, and a generous dose of enthusiasm and zeal. Read more on our blog and get a ring side view of the event in this album .

Smita with the Mumbai Chapter members at the Marathon start line.

Axis Bank employees running for Rang De

Close

Third Anniversary As the country celebrated its 62nd Republic Day, Rang De celebrated its third anniversary and counted its blessings at having the support and encouragement of so many well-wishers like all of you. This piece by Smita Rang De turns 3 says it all.