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Synopsis Women self-help groups are increasingly being used as tool for various developmental interventions. Credit and its delivery through self-help groups have also been taken as a means for empowerment of rural women. This integrated approach, whereby, credit is only an entry point, and an instrument to operationalise other aspects of group dynamics and management, also caters to the need for social intermediation of these groups. A self-help group is conceived as a sustainable people’s institution that provides the poor rural women with space and support necessary for them to take effective steps towards achieving greater control of their lives. It is with this perspective that this book has been attempted. This work seeks to elucidate and simplify the approach to women’s empowerment through credit-based self-help groups, by both providing the theoretical perspective as well as practical guidance and tips to operationalise the same. This book is meant primarily as a first level reader for middle level functionaries in the development sector.