Two successful financial initiatives of the south based NGO Shri Kshethra Dharmasthala Rural Development Project (R.) (SKDRDP) namely “the Pragathi Bandhu – small farmers come together to share and learn” and “Sampoorna Suraksha – a social security for all occasions” have won the prestigious Changemakers Award promoted jointly by the US based Ashoka Foundation and Citi Bank in the competition “Banking on social change – seeking financial solutions for all”.

SKDRDP’s Pragathibandhu model provides an alternative methodology to finance the farming activities of the small farmers. It strives to provide viable answers to the complicated problems of the farming community in India today. The model has successfully been implemented in coastal and mainland Karnataka districts consisting of 1,32,000 small farmers who have been organized in 23,300 Self Help Groups. Furthermore, the model is entirely self-sustaining.  The model, Sampoorna Suraksha is a self financing multipurpose insurance product to protect the poor against hospitalization expenses, maternity, death, domiciliary treatment and accidents. Implemented for over five years now, the model so far has settled more than 100,000 claims and during this year has attracted 14,00,000 clients.