A report in the May GFS newsletter titled "Clean Air Campaign" says, "Grameen Financial Services has been instrumental in playing a pivotal role in issues related to environmental pollution. Grameen Financial Services has taken a major initiative to address the issue of indoor air pollution in partnership with Navya Disha and Shell Foundation. So far 30,000 members from Grameen Koota have benefited in 4 districts of Karnataka. By the end of this fiscal year, we plan to reach 200,000 members across the districts of Karnataka and Maharashtra state."
Shell Foundation has partnered with Grameen Koota, a micro-finance institution, for a village level awareness campaign on Indoor Air Pollution (IAP). This brings to the doorstep of villagers new, improved stoves and micro finance. Together, these address the three big 'A's of the challenge of Indoor Air Pollution: Awareness, Availability and Affordability.
Along with field coordinators from a local NGO, Navya Disha, loan officers from Grameen Koota travel across villages to talk to people about the issues of IAP, the Shell Foundation IAP Awareness campaign, the availability of improved cook stoves and loans from Grameen Koota to facilitate the purchase of stoves.
Names of members from the audience, who attend the demonstrations, interested in purchasing stoves are passed on to stove vendors by field coordinators and loan officers. The stove vendors then deliver the stoves to the customers.
Read an earlier report: "Shell Foundation Partners MFIs to Tackle the Affordability Challenge"
