Women are the pivot around whom the family, the community and the society moves. Women in rural India have been carrying on their shoulders the burden of poverty, ignorance, superstitions and discriminatory customs and traditions. Despite their extremely disadvantaged situation they keep contributing enormously to the welfare of their families and of the State, representing one-third of the labour force in Andhra Pradesh. It is a known fact that the contribution of women in the field of agriculture, animal husbandry and other rural based occupations is higher than that of men, but such contribution is rarely recognised due to social prejudices, illiteracy and lack of organisation and unity within women

For this reason ASSIST has made many efforts during the years to organise women Self-Help Groups and consolidate them into cooperative societies, keeping the grass-root level intact. Accordingly, ASSIST has been ensuring the continuity of Self-Help Groups at community level with monthly savings and internal lending for fulfilling their domestic needs even after these members as a group, not as individuals, have become members of Mutually Aided Cooperative Thrift and Credit Cooperative Society (MACTS). In MACTS, members do monthly savings, internal lending and extend loan facility for venturing in income generation activities. ASSIST has also facilitated the provision of capitals from financial institutions and commercial banks for onward lending to its members

Through these structures many women have been literally empowered thanks to the establishment of micro-enterprises that allow them to sustain their families