SHAHAPUR JANATA URBAN NIDHI LIMITED

Shahapur area in Ichalkaranji is where we are. We sit right at Shivaji Maharaj Chouk in Ward 25. It’s at Mankali Deshinge’s place, House number 449. We’ve got a small office here for handling savings and small loans for the people in the neighborhood. Many of our members work in the textile mills or have small stalls in the market nearby. It gets quite busy with all the traffic outside the chowk, but we know most of the faces that come through our door. We started this because people needed a local spot to keep their money. We don't do all the fancy stuff big banks do. It’s mostly just us, our ledgers, and a lot of paperwork. Sometimes we sit and have tea while we sort through the day’s accounts. It’s a very local way of doing things. You can find us easily if you’re walking past the chowk. The office isn't a big glass building. It’s just a normal place where neighbors come to help each other out with their money. Sometimes the electricity goes out and we just have to wait or work by the light from the door. That’s just life in Kolhapur. We focus on the community right here. Most people we see are small traders. We don't have a website with bells and whistles. We just have our books and our desk. We keep our hours steady, even if we stay late sometimes to help someone with their forms.