Abstract:
Microfinance is emerging as a powerful instrument and dominating force for poverty alleviation and
providing linkage between Self Help Group-Bank as a cost effective mechanism for providing financial
services to the marginalized families by women entrepreneurship; which has been successful not only in
meeting financial needs of the rural poor women but also strengthen collective self-help capacities of the poor
women. The female entrepreneurs are getting support through Prayas Microfinance Wing (Prayas Jan Vikas
Bhandol) results in women’s ability to influence or make decision, increased self-confidence, better status and
role in household etc. This paper puts forward how Prayas Jan Vikas Bhandol (PJVB) micro finance wing has
received extensive recognition as a strategy for economic empowerment of women. This research examined the
role of Prayas with respect to economic empowerment and poverty alleviation of rural women through
entrepreneurship. An effort is also made to suggest the ways to increase women empowerment. The research
used both quantitative and qualitative data collected from both primary and secondary sources. A sample of
30 women entrepreneurs from PJVB have been collected for the study. The Prayas Microfinance Wing was
approached through questionnaire to collect primary data. Secondary data was collected from relevant books,
journals, government publications, research reports, and various web sites. Analysis of data employed
descriptive statistic. Further, the study established that Prayas microfinance wing provides economic support
and have boosted women’s self-esteem of the marginalized women through the services of microfinance.
