- Title
- Microfinance, self-reliance and sustainability: the case of a non-governmental organization in Bangladesh
- Creator
- Momtaz, Salim
- Relation
- Journal of Bangladesh Studies Vol. 4, Issue 1, p. 1-11
- Relation
- http://www.bdiusa.org/Publications/JBS/default.htm
- Publisher
- Bangladesh Development Initiative and The Association for Economic and Development Studies on Bangla
- Resource Type
- journal article
- Date
- 2002
- Description
- Over the last two decades, non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have emerged as major players in the developmental arena of the developing nations. There have been rigorous philosophical debates as to the effectiveness and appropriateness of these organizations in terms of their replicability, geographic coverage and governance. Microfinance is increasingly seen as an effective means to address urban and rural poverty in developing countries and a model for sustainable development. However, it is also cautioned that it should not be seen as a panacea for poverty eradication. To investigate some of these issues, I conducted a study in 1998-1999 and a follow up in 2001 into the socio-economic impacts of a NGO in Bangladesh - Assistance for Social Organization and Development (ASOD). In addition to its major microcredit programs for rural women, ASOD has a number of programs addressing health, education, and social issues concerning women. The study reveals that despite the success of the microfinance programs of ASOD, the NGO is yet to go a long way to achieve sustainability at the grassroots level. The programs helped increase household income and made important contributions to women's empowerment. Money borrowed from ASOD helped many families develop ongoing income-generating activities. Yet it is not evident whether their credit dependency can be transformed into self-reliance in the near future. Uncertainty and irregularity in funding from the donor agencies and the national apex organization are affecting ASOD's program performance.
- Subject
- microfinance; Bangladesh; non-governmental organizations; NGOs; poverty; sustainable development
- Identifier
- http://hdl.handle.net/1959.13/26454
- Identifier
- uon:878
- Identifier
- ISSN:1529-0905
- Language
- eng
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