Overcoming reluctance to innovate

The stagnation of the rural poor and their apathy toward improving their economic condition and style of living are largely due to fixed images of the impossibility of getting things done. This impression comes from previous experiences and their difficulties in approaching people in authority. Having intuitively perceived the futility of working for new development they often resign themselves to things as they are.

The women members of the dairy co-operatives in the India Development Service had never imagined that they would be able to work together, market their milk and eliminate the middle-trader. This was made possible due to the painstaking organizing activities of the rural development practitioners in IDS and the training programmes the women members of the co-operatives went through. Their image was changed from one of inevitable destiny to confidence in their ability to manage their affairs to improve their socio-economic conditions.