Skills Required To Run A Small Business
Would you like to run your own small business? Have you an idea for a small business but do not think that you could make it work? Are you bored of being an employee and yearn to become your own boss? Have you the required skills to run a small business? In this article I look at the type of skills that people need to possess to be able to successfully run a small business.My name is Stephen Hill and I have been running my own business for around nine years now. Previously I had been employed by a major insurance company and even though I progressed well during my time there, I always wanted to run my own business, to choose my own hours of work and basically have no one to answer to etc.I am now a speech coach helping people who stammer/stutter to achieve fluency and I also help people to promote their websites as a form of web marketer or web promoter.I love what I do as it allows me to to take my children to school as well as to pick them up from school. I am able to watch their football and netball matches and attend their school plays and other functions.I am not bound by what hours I work, for example nine to five. I sometimes work late at night when I do the web promotion work but have the day fr

Ten Great Careers That Don't Require A Four Year Degree
One of the great myths associated with the “American Dream” is that you need to have a four-year college degree to be successful. As the economy has shifted to the information age, with a greater reliance on technology and services, this belief applies less and less.The new economy relies on technology more than any time in the past. In fact 70% of existing jobs require specific technical knowledge and this technology is being applied in newly created industries like biometrics, homeland security, nanotechnology and reusable energy.Eighty percent of existing jobs don’t require a four-year degree, while only 25% of students who begin college actually graduate. Of those who do graduate, 30% don’t get a job that actually requires a degree!The solution to these issues for many graduating high school seniors and workers unsatisfied with their current careers rests in a specialty technical school. These schools provide specific technical training in a variety of career fields. Career training courses take less than four years to complete, most take less than two. These schools offer online and night courses, so you can have a job or a family and the best part is graduates earn 50% more than high school graduates.Introduction:

The Relationship between man and Environment is very close. First of all he tries to adjust himself with the environment and then adjust the environment according to himself. Man has achieved success in almost every area and this has resulted in making lives more comfortable. But this development has been gained at the cost of environment degradation. Industrialization has led man to cutting down trees for the establishment of their industries based civilization. This has resulted in an imbalance in the environment which is a very serious issue.

With the increased burden of population the environment gets degraded because the carrying capacity is limited and the population growth rate is increasing day by day, which in turn increases the burden on the environment.

Almost all cultures have in some way or the other recognized the importance of nature, its bio-diversity and the need to maintain it. Yet power and greed have affected this precarious balance. Bio-diversity boosts ecosystem productivity and plays an important role in preventing and recovering from various disasters. It is feared that human activity is causing Massive extinctions, however, sustainable development and conservation would help arrest many ecological problems.

India’s ongoing population explosion has placed great strain on the country’s environment. This rapidly growing population, urbanization and industrialization, have placed significance pressure on the country’s infrastructure and its natural resources. While deforestation, soil erosion, water pollution and land degradation continue to hinder economic development in rural India, rapid industrialization and urbanization in India’s booming metropolises at straining the limits of municipal services and causing serious air pollution problems. Not only are industrial pollution increasing public health risks, abatement efforts are also consuming a significant portion of our GDP.

The government’s ability to safe guard the country’s environment will depend on its success in promoting policies that keep the economy growing and meet the populace requirements in an effective and sustainable manner.

India has made significant efforts in the fields of environmental protection and also in developing protection standards for both products and processes. India’s strong supports of air quality and alternative fuel have been widely acknowledged.

The role of Self Helps Groups (SHG) has assumed national attention in rural development instead of single beneficiary activities, group (10-20members) activities are broad based and rewarding. The Self Helps Groups are micro institutions, which contribute largely to the rural development and Environmental Conservation Programmes.

This paper brings to the light the role-played by the NGO led Self Help Groups in preserving and conserving our environment.

The concept of Self Help Group:

A SHG is a group of about 20 people from a homogeneous class who come together, for addressing their common problems. The lower age limit for the member is 18 and the upper age limit is 60. The group members of SHG are encouraged to make voluntary thrift on a regular basis. They use this pooled resources to make small interest bearing loans to their members.

The group has an animator to co-ordinate and two representatives from the members. The animator acts a leader of the group and help in smooth running of the group activities.

Initiatives taken by the SHG’s in environmental related issues:

Health:

Good health stimulates economic growth and social stability, while reducing poverty and income inequality, promoting good health particularly benefits the poor who are largely dependent on their own labor for their livelihood.

Many of the villages in India are so for untouched by the government health services. In order to make the health services accessible to all members of the communities the medium of Self Help Groups are used by the NGO’s to provide these services.

The success of the health initiatives are closely linked to women’s self-help groups. These self help group play an important role in creating awareness about community issues and needs.

The following are the areas in which SHG’s are actively engaging themselves in order to create awareness about health among the village communities. Health awareness programmes are run in villages in different form by the SHG’s with the help of Non Governmental Organisations (NOGs). They are

- Health awareness Exhibitions.
- Meetings.
- Demonstration sessions.
- Immunization of mother and children.
- Family planning camps and counseling for family planning.
- Health checks up camps for the community.
- HIV/AIDS, STD awareness programmes & video shows.
- Child health and nutrition.

Hygiene

Health and hygiene go hand in hand. When hygiene is there the community will have good heath and bad hygiene conditions are the cause for many of the dreadful disease like malaria, tuberculosis’s etc.

The SHG’S take keen interest in spreading the message of cleanliness and hygiene among the community members. Their product portfolio also includes hygiene related products like sanitary napkins cleaning agents, Phenoil etc., The following are the areas in which the SHGs are working to improve the hygiene and living conditions of the village community.

Drinking Water

Unsafe drinking water is the main source of water borne diseases. In the rural areas getting safe drinking water is always problematic. The main source of their drinking water is that collected in the ponds and ditches during the monsoon.

The NGOs and other Governmental organizations are working towards providing safe drinking water to the villages. To ensure that safe drinking water is made available to the majority of the community they help in digging bore wells and drinking water wells. This task of providing safe drinking water is also entrusted with the Self Help Groups. This goes a long way in eradication of diseases in many villages.

Toilet Facilities

The Self Help Groups are also creating awareness about using public toilet facilities. The Government and NGOs are also constructing Public toilets in the villages with the help of Self Help Groups.

Other sanitary conditions:

They are also educating the village community about the necessity of maintaining personal hygiene, keeping the food items closed, keeping the public places clean and proper disposal of solid and liquid waste.

Nature preservation

The SHGs are helping in the preservation of nature by producing the products by using the raw materials which are available locally there by they get livelihood in their own areas. This in turn helps in avoiding people moving out to urban areas in search of the livelihood.

They also produce products which are non polluting to the environment and recyclable like paper bags, articles made from the wastes of plants and trees etc.,<

and industrialization, have placed significance pressure on the country’s infrastructure and its natural resources. While deforestation, soil erosion, water pollution and land degradation continue to hinder economic development in rural India, rapid industrialization and urbanization in India’s booming metropolises at straining the limits of municipal services and causing serious air pollution problems. Not only are industrial pollution increasing public health risks, abatement efforts are also consuming a significant portion of our GDP.

The government’s ability to safe guard the country’s environment will depend on its success in promoting policies that keep the economy growing and meet the populace requirements in an effective and sustainable manner.

India has made significant efforts in the fields of environmental protection and also in developing protection standards for both products and processes. India’s strong supports of air quality and alternative fuel have been widely acknowledged.

The role of Self Helps Groups (SHG) has assumed national attention in rural development instead of single beneficiary activities, group (10-20members) activities are broad based and rewarding. The Self Helps Groups are micro institutions, which contribute largely to the rural development and Environmental Conservation Programmes.

This paper brings to the light the role-played by the NGO led Self Help Groups in preserving and conserving our environment.

The concept of Self Help Group:

A SHG is a group of about 20 people from a homogeneous class who come together, for addressing their common problems. The lower age limit for the member is 18 and the upper age limit is 60. The group members of SHG are encouraged to make voluntary thrift on a regular basis. They use this pooled resources to make small interest bearing loans to their members.

The group has an animator to co-ordinate and two representatives from the members. The animator acts a leader of the group and help in smooth running of the group activities.

Initiatives taken by the SHG’s in environmental related issues:

Health:

Good health stimulates economic growth and social stability, while reducing poverty and income inequality, promoting good health particularly benefits the poor who are largely dependent on their own labor for their livelihood.

Many of the villages in India are so for untouched by the government health services. In order to make the health services accessible to all members of the communities the medium of Self Help Groups are used by the NGO’s to provide these services.

The success of the health initiatives are closely linked to women’s self-help groups. These self help group play an important role in creating awareness about community issues and needs.

The following are the areas in which SHG’s are actively engaging themselves in order to create awareness about health among the village communities. Health awareness programmes are run in villages in different form by the SHG’s with the help of Non Governmental Organisations (NOGs). They are

- Health awareness Exhibitions.
- Meetings.
- Demonstration sessions.
- Immunization of mother and children.
- Family planning camps and counseling for family planning.
- Health checks up camps for the community.
- HIV/AIDS, STD awareness programmes & video shows.
- Child health and nutrition.

Hygiene

Health and hygiene go hand in hand. When hygiene is there the community will have good heath and bad hygiene conditions are the cause for many of the dreadful disease like malaria, tuberculosis’s etc.

The SHG’S take keen interest in spreading the message of cleanliness and hygiene among the community members. Their product portfolio also includes hygiene related products like sanitary napkins cleaning agents, Phenoil etc., The following are the areas in which the SHGs are working to improve the hygiene and living conditions of the village community.

Drinking Water

Unsafe drinking water is the main source of water borne diseases. In the rural areas getting safe drinking water is always problematic. The main source of their drinking water is that collected in the ponds and ditches during the monsoon.

The NGOs and other Governmental organizations are working towards providing safe drinking water to the villages. To ensure that safe drinking water is made available to the majority of the community they help in digging bore wells and drinking water wells. This task of providing safe drinking water is also entrusted with the Self Help Groups. This goes a long way in eradication of diseases in many villages.

Toilet Facilities

The Self Help Groups are also creating awareness about using public toilet facilities. The Government and NGOs are also constructing Public toilets in the villages with the help of Self Help Groups.

Other sanitary conditions:

They are also educating the village community about the necessity of maintaining personal hygiene, keeping the food items closed, keeping the public places clean and proper disposal of solid and liquid waste.

Nature preservation

The SHGs are helping in the preservation of nature by producing the products by using the raw materials which are available locally there by they get livelihood in their own areas. This in turn helps in avoiding people moving out to urban areas in search of the livelihood.

They also produce products which are non polluting to the environment and recyclable like paper bags, articles made from the wastes of plants and trees etc.,<

elf Help Groups in preserving and conserving our environment.

The concept of Self Help Group:

A SHG is a group of about 20 people from a homogeneous class who come together, for addressing their common problems. The lower age limit for the member is 18 and the upper age limit is 60. The group members of SHG are encouraged to make voluntary thrift on a regular basis. They use this pooled resources to make small interest bearing loans to their members.

The group has an animator to co-ordinate and two representatives from the members. The animator acts a leader of the group and help in smooth running of the group activities.

Initiatives taken by the SHG’s in environmental related issues:

Health:

Good health stimulates economic growth and social stability, while reducing poverty and income inequality, promoting good health particularly benefits the poor who are largely dependent on their own labor for their livelihood.

Many of the villages in India are so for untouched by the government health services. In order to make the health services accessible to all members of the communities the medium of Self Help Groups are used by the NGO’s to provide these services.

The success of the health initiatives are closely linked to women’s self-help groups. These self help group play an important role in creating awareness about community issues and needs.

The following are the areas in which SHG’s are actively engaging themselves in order to create awareness about health among the village communities. Health awareness programmes are run in villages in different form by the SHG’s with the help of Non Governmental Organisations (NOGs). They are

- Health awareness Exhibitions.
- Meetings.
- Demonstration sessions.
- Immunization of mother and children.
- Family planning camps and counseling for family planning.
- Health checks up camps for the community.
- HIV/AIDS, STD awareness programmes & video shows.
- Child health and nutrition.

Hygiene

Health and hygiene go hand in hand. When hygiene is there the community will have good heath and bad hygiene conditions are the cause for many of the dreadful disease like malaria, tuberculosis’s etc.

The SHG’S take keen interest in spreading the message of cleanliness and hygiene among the community members. Their product portfolio also includes hygiene related products like sanitary napkins cleaning agents, Phenoil etc., The following are the areas in which the SHGs are working to improve the hygiene and living conditions of the village community.

Drinking Water

Unsafe drinking water is the main source of water borne diseases. In the rural areas getting safe drinking water is always problematic. The main source of their drinking water is that collected in the ponds and ditches during the monsoon.

The NGOs and other Governmental organizations are working towards providing safe drinking water to the villages. To ensure that safe drinking water is made available to the majority of the community they help in digging bore wells and drinking water wells. This task of providing safe drinking water is also entrusted with the Self Help Groups. This goes a long way in eradication of diseases in many villages.

Toilet Facilities

The Self Help Groups are also creating awareness about using public toilet facilities. The Government and NGOs are also constructing Public toilets in the villages with the help of Self Help Groups.

Other sanitary conditions:

They are also educating the village community about the necessity of maintaining personal hygiene, keeping the food items closed, keeping the public places clean and proper disposal of solid and liquid waste.

Nature preservation

The SHGs are helping in the preservation of nature by producing the products by using the raw materials which are available locally there by they get livelihood in their own areas. This in turn helps in avoiding people moving out to urban areas in search of the livelihood.

They also produce products which are non polluting to the environment and recyclable like paper bags, articles made from the wastes of plants and trees etc.,<

lowing are the areas in which SHG’s are actively engaging themselves in order to create awareness about health among the village communities. Health awareness programmes are run in villages in different form by the SHG’s with the help of Non Governmental Organisations (NOGs). They are

- Health awareness Exhibitions.
- Meetings.
- Demonstration sessions.
- Immunization of mother and children.
- Family planning camps and counseling for family planning.
- Health checks up camps for the community.
- HIV/AIDS, STD awareness programmes & video shows.
- Child health and nutrition.

Hygiene

Health and hygiene go hand in hand. When hygiene is there the community will have good heath and bad hygiene conditions are the cause for many of the dreadful disease like malaria, tuberculosis’s etc.

The SHG’S take keen interest in spreading the message of cleanliness and hygiene among the community members. Their product portfolio also includes hygiene related products like sanitary napkins cleaning agents, Phenoil etc., The following are the areas in which the SHGs are working to improve the hygiene and living conditions of the village community.

Drinking Water

Unsafe drinking water is the main source of water borne diseases. In the rural areas getting safe drinking water is always problematic. The main source of their drinking water is that collected in the ponds and ditches during the monsoon.

The NGOs and other Governmental organizations are working towards providing safe drinking water to the villages. To ensure that safe drinking water is made available to the majority of the community they help in digging bore wells and drinking water wells. This task of providing safe drinking water is also entrusted with the Self Help Groups. This goes a long way in eradication of diseases in many villages.

Toilet Facilities

The Self Help Groups are also creating awareness about using public toilet facilities. The Government and NGOs are also constructing Public toilets in the villages with the help of Self Help Groups.

Other sanitary conditions:

They are also educating the village community about the necessity of maintaining personal hygiene, keeping the food items closed, keeping the public places clean and proper disposal of solid and liquid waste.

Nature preservation

The SHGs are helping in the preservation of nature by producing the products by using the raw materials which are available locally there by they get livelihood in their own areas. This in turn helps in avoiding people moving out to urban areas in search of the livelihood.

They also produce products which are non polluting to the environment and recyclable like paper bags, articles made from the wastes of plants and trees etc.,<

t collected in the ponds and ditches during the monsoon.

The NGOs and other Governmental organizations are working towards providing safe drinking water to the villages. To ensure that safe drinking water is made available to the majority of the community they help in digging bore wells and drinking water wells. This task of providing safe drinking water is also entrusted with the Self Help Groups. This goes a long way in eradication of diseases in many villages.

Toilet Facilities

The Self Help Groups are also creating awareness about using public toilet facilities. The Government and NGOs are also constructing Public toilets in the villages with the help of Self Help Groups.

Other sanitary conditions:

They are also educating the village community about the necessity of maintaining personal hygiene, keeping the food items closed, keeping the public places clean and proper disposal of solid and liquid waste.

Nature preservation

The SHGs are helping in the preservation of nature by producing the products by using the raw materials which are available locally there by they get livelihood in their own areas. This in turn helps in avoiding people moving out to urban areas in search of the livelihood.

They also produce products which are non polluting to the environment and recyclable like paper bags, articles made from the wastes of plants and trees etc.,

Joint Forest Management

The forest management in India experienced a pivotal change in 1990 when the ministry of Environment and forest, Govt of India issued policy guidelines for the joint forest management (JFM) to combat deforestation and degradation in the country. The JFM is a system of governance that devolves the responsibility of forest protection and management on ecosystem people in partnership with the state forest department for regeneration, efficient and sustainable conservation.

People are organized into village forest committees (VFCS) at the village(s) level with executive committee (EC) elected by the VFC members. The EC takes the role of the regulator in monitoring the access to forests and also in regulating utilization of forester’s resources. Currently 27 Indian states have adopted JFM and over 63,000 FPCs are managing around 14 million hectare of forestlands.

Suggestions for Sustained Environmental Conservation • Population control • Rain water harvesting • Conservation of sea and its resources • Controlling soil erosion • Controlling the emission of industrial pollutants • Using non chemical and hand made products. • Using bio-degradable and environment friendly articles • Conservation of natural forests and development of new forests • Cutting only dry trees • Energy saving • Banning the production of products which create pollution like plastic Bags • Using natural and bio fertilizers instead of chemical fertilizers. • Recycling the waste • Using non conventional energy source like Solar energy Hydro-power ,wind energy ,Energy from sea waves , Bio-gas etc, • Including the topics on environmental awareness and nature

protection from the primary education

Contribution of SHGs for the development of Society

CONCLUSION

The self-help groups activities are not only revolving around savings and credits but also integrating the socio economical & health issues into the various agendas of the groups. The role played by SHGs in conservation and preservation of environment contribute to development of the society.

REFERENCES

1. R Jayanthi , ‘A Study On the working of Self Help Groups with special reference to Avinashi block village Panchayaths in Coimbatore Dist’ 2004 M.Phil thesis submitted to Madurai Kamaraj University. 2. ‘Magalir Membattu Muttram’ Monthly magazine of Tamilnadu Women Development Corporation Ltd , 2004 December . 3. Prasanth Pandey, Neetu Kaushik, Environment, Population and Economic Development, Yojana (volume 48), pg 41-43. (June 2004). 4. J.Bhakyalakshmi, Thittam (volume 35), pg 22-25. August 2004. 5. www.idb.org/vi/geo/asia.htm 6. www.spw.org 7. http//gramalaya.org 8. www.indianagos.com/cosp.htm. 9. mstncdw@sathyam.net.in 10. www.aid.org.vt.edu/Deepam_shg/proposal.html.