Poverty is an enormous problem in thisarea, and there are huge disparities in standards of living.
Manavodaya's is focusing on the position of women and people of the lower castes. Through the organizing of savings and loans groups for women, Manavodaya seeks to empower the weakest groups in about 90 villages. The aim is increased awareness-raising and an improved level of organizing, in order to enable people to managefinancially and socially. The training centre in Lucknow is important fortraining activities, which in turn contributes to a change of attitudes. One case in point is courses for bank employees in order to show them thatalso poor people can be creditworthy.