The Saath Savings and Credit Cooperative Ltd’s parent organisation Saath Charitable Trust, was engaged in Integrated Community Development Program since 1989 as a registered Public charitable , aiming at turning slums into vibrant neighbourhoods. Working with slum residents, migrants, minorities, children, women, youth and vulnerable people in urban and rural areas, it realised that the problems of the urban poor are multifaceted, have multilevel and they had to be addressed in many ways, from many directions, and at many levels. So it has adopted a multipronged approach. Providing community based financial services to them was part of it which culminated into The Saath Saving and Credit Cooperative Society Ltd .
The Ekta Yuvak Mandal,which founded in 1994 to engage youth of Beharampura area of Ahmadabad in constructive activities , first kick started Saath’s microfinance program. Two other CBOs, the Sakhi Bachat Mandal, and the Sankalp Mitra Mandal followed course.
In 1999 SAATH expanded its services with small loans. As demand grew, Saath gradually formalized its operations and adopted co-operative society structure. In 2002, two Co-operatives were formed to work in two different areas of Ahmadabad. In March 2010, all the Co-operatives came together to form Saath Savings and Credit Co-operative Society Ltd. (SSCCSL) with a specific Vision, and Objectives as following-
The Vision:
To build a sustainable community-based organization, to provide financial services to the socially marginalized and economically deprived sections of society, in order to eventually reduce poverty, and bring prosperity.
Main objectives:
• To develop saving habits in our members for their future needs.
• To provide loans at an affordable rate of interest.
• To provide affordable insurance.
• To make the financial services available in the market accessible to the low income group, for their use.
• To promote equal participation of people irrespective of religious, economic and social background, or gender, and to be helpful for their development.
SSCCSL has flourished with Saath charitable Trust all these years. As Saath expanded its outreach in Gujarat, Rajasthan and Maharashtra (Mumbai) in last 26 years , affecting more than 4, 60,576 individuals ,SSCCSL also grew ,providing the poor need based micro financial services, marching shoulder to shoulder with other programs of Saath such as -Udaan, Nirman, Urmila, Youth Force, and RWeaves (Livelihoods), Child Friendly Spaces, Balghars, Sujal (Health and Education), Urban Resource Centre, Night Shelter (Governance), Child Rights for Change, Housing Rights (Human Rights) and Affordable Housing, Rehabilitation and Resettlement.