Self Help Groups (SHGs) and women’s self-help groups (WSHGs) in particular, represent a form of intervention that is a radical departure from most current programmes. They are an effective strategy for poverty alleviation, human development and social empowerment. They offer grassroots participatory implementation that is demand driven by ‘beneficiaries’ who, in other projects, often find themselves receiving goods or services in a manner that is opaque and impersonal. Most SHG-based programmes are implemented by the government in partnership with NGOs or by NGOs and donor agencies. SHGs also have the potential to transform themselves into vibrant civil society organizations. This paper depicts that the empirical evidence on empowerment through SHG participation in Karnataka, the history of SHGs in Karnataka, number of SHGs in Karnataka, poverty alleviation through SHGs participation, decision-making power of women SHG members in their households and Increased knowledge and awareness of SHG members.