Beginning of Community Based Financial Services :
As mentioned earlier, in its very early stage of community engagement, Saath Charitable Trust has 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 .
Kick Started in 1994 : In 1990 Ekta Yuvak Mandal was formed in Behrampura area of Ahmedabad, to address issues of youth. After people of the area lost money to some fraudulent companies, people of the area urged Saath to provide saving services. In 1994 Ekta started Saath’s financial services
1999: Two other CBOs Formed :The Sakhi Mahila Mandal and the Sankalp Mitra Mandal also came into existence in 1999.
1999: The Saath Loans Started – Saath introduced small loans in its services in 1999.
2002: Going Cooperative Way: Ekta and Sakhi Mandal assume co-operative society structure.
2008: Credit Revolutionised with JLG Model- In 2008 Saath adopts concept of collective liability giving Joint Liability Group, or JLG Model to its members. Bound together with abject poverty and its many adversities, Saath members welcome this model, as it made credit more easily accessible to them.
March 2010: Formation of The Saath Savings and Credit Co-operative Society Ltd. (SSCCSL)- by merging al Saath Co-operatives. From Ledgers to Tab Banking: The Saath Saving and Credit Cooperative Limited has adopted technology to make its operation more wide, affordable, fast and precise. It also diversified its saving and credit services more and more, to the benefit of all sections of its membership. Created Barefoot Banking Professionals-Equipped with Vayak Software and Tab Banking technology, SSCCSL’s bare foot banking professionals work towards the financial inclusion of its members.
2015: Providing Linkages to Fill the Gaps: Now SSCCSL has evolved a linkage service to its members. it tries to fill the gaps in lives of its members by linking its several services making an integrated effort .