Centre for Self-help Development (CSD), Nepal

Centre for Self-help Development (CSD) was established in August, 1991 under the Society Registration Act 1977 of Nepal as a non-profit and non-government organization (NGO). It has been executing development projects and microfinance programs intended to benefit the poor and disadvantaged families, especially the women of these families. It is involved with activities such as the Community Self-help Development Programs, the Self-help Banking Program and the Training Support to NGOs, INGOs and CBOs operating at the grass-root level.

Being inspired by the success of Grameen Bank, Centre for Self-help Development started implementing Self-help Banking Program (SBP) since 1993 following the credit delivery and recovery mechanism of GB. At the start-up phase of this program CSD received seed capital fund amounting to US$ 50,000 from Grameen Trust in 1993. In order to help expand the microcredit program GT approved US$ 150,000 for Lahan Branch as scaling up fund in 1995. On the basis of successful performance of CSD, GT also approved US$ 72,000 and US$ 73,000 to CSD for its Dhalcebar and Guashala branches respectively in 1998. An amount of US$ 72,000 was approved by GT in 2001 for the Hathilet branch of CSD.

CSD has been implementing Self-help Banking Program in eight districts, Dang, Kathmandu, Lalitpur, Bhaktapur, Sindhupalchowk, Kavrepalanchowk, Arghakhanchi and Dhanding of Nepal. This program has covered 138 Municipalities. Till 2008, it has served a total of 25,180 borrowers and disbursed a total of Rs. 1,187,456,990 (US$ 18,268,569). It provides general, seasonal and emergency loans to its clientele.

The Self-help Banking Program pays due attention to enhance the skills and knowledge of members through organizing training, workshops and exposure visits. Till 2008, it has conduced 1640 skill development trainings, 1387 workshops and 398 exposure visits. The operational self-sufficiency (OSS) and financial self-sufficiency of SBP are 121% and 116% respectively.