IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/wly/jintdv/v16y2004i3p369-386.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

The wider impacts of BRAC poverty alleviation programme in Bangladesh

Author

Listed:
  • A. Mushtaque R. Chowdhury

    (Deputy Executive Director, BRAC)

  • Abbas Bhuiya

    (Social and Behavioural Sciences Programme, ICDDR,B Centre for Health and Population Research)

Abstract

Over the decades of the 1980s and 90s many poverty alleviation programmes have been implemented in developing countries. Evaluations of such programmes have traditionally looked at their success in increasing the income levels of participants but less at the wider goals of human well-being. This paper looks at the poverty alleviation programme of BRAC, a large non-governmental organisation in Bangladesh, and, based on carefully designed studies, presents its impact on selected components of 'human well-being'. This study found better child survival and nutritional status in households served by the programme. Simular impacts were also found in other areas such as expenditure patterns, family planning practices and children's education. The studies also looked at the impact on the rural power structure and found a substantial change in the networking relationship of health providers. The likely influence of 'selectivity bias' on the above results is also discussed. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Suggested Citation

  • A. Mushtaque R. Chowdhury & Abbas Bhuiya, 2004. "The wider impacts of BRAC poverty alleviation programme in Bangladesh," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 16(3), pages 369-386.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:jintdv:v:16:y:2004:i:3:p:369-386
    DOI: 10.1002/jid.1083
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1002/jid.1083
    File Function: Link to full text; subscription required
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1002/jid.1083?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Pitt, M.M. & Khandker, S.R., 1996. "Household and Intrahousehold Impact of the Grameen Bank and Similar Targeted Credit Programs in Bangladesh," World Bank - Discussion Papers 320, World Bank.
    2. Bhuiya, Abbas & Chowdhury, Mushtaque, 2002. "Beneficial effects of a woman-focused development programme on child survival: evidence from rural Bangladesh," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 55(9), pages 1553-1560, November.
    3. Hashemi, Syed M. & Schuler, Sidney Ruth & Riley, Ann P., 1996. "Rural credit programs and women's empowerment in Bangladesh," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 24(4), pages 635-653, April.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Sudha Narayanan & Marzia Fontana & Erin Lentz & Bharati Kulkarni, 2019. "Rural women's empowerment in nutrition: a proposal for diagnostics linking food, health and institutions," Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, Mumbai Working Papers 2019-003, Indira Gandhi Institute of Development Research, Mumbai, India.
    2. Jashim Uddin Ahmed & N.M. Ashikuzzaman & Nabila Nisha, 2016. "Understanding Operations of Floating Schools: A Case of Shidhulai Swanirvar Sangstha in Bangladesh," South Asian Journal of Business and Management Cases, , vol. 5(2), pages 221-233, December.
    3. M. Niaz Asadullah, 2016. "Do Pro-Poor Schools Reach Out to the Poor? Location Choice of BRAC and ROSC Schools in Bangladesh," Australian Economic Review, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, vol. 49(4), pages 432-452, December.
    4. Mazumder, Mohummed Shofi Ullah & Lu, Wencong, 2015. "What Impact Does Microfinance Have on Rural Livelihood? A Comparison of Governmental and Non-Governmental Microfinance Programs in Bangladesh," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 68(C), pages 336-354.
    5. Tushar Bharati & Adnan M. S. Fakir, 2022. "Health Costs of a “Healthy Democracy”: The Impact of Peaceful Political Protests on Healthcare Utilization," Economics Discussion / Working Papers 22-15, The University of Western Australia, Department of Economics.
    6. Copestake, James, 2007. "Mainstreaming Microfinance: Social Performance Management or Mission Drift?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 35(10), pages 1721-1738, October.
    7. Asadullah, M. Niaz & Savoia, Antonio & Mahmud, Wahiduddin, 2014. "Paths to Development: Is there a Bangladesh Surprise?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 138-154.
    8. Syed Masud Ahmed & AKM Masud Rana, 2010. "Customized Development Interventions for the Ultra Poor: Preliminary Change Assessments of Health and Health-seeking Behaviour (CFPR/TUP 2002 to 2004)," Working Papers id:2575, eSocialSciences.
    9. Standing, H. & Chowdhury, A. Mushtaque R., 2008. "Producing effective knowledge agents in a pluralistic environment: What future for community health workers?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 66(10), pages 2096-2107, May.
    10. Alex Addae-Korankye & Alex Abada, 2017. "Microfinance and Women Empowerment in Madina in Accra, Ghana," Asian Economic and Financial Review, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 7(3), pages 222-231, March.
    11. Wahibur Rokhman, 2013. "The Effect Of Islamic Microfinance On Poverty Alleviation: Study In Indonesia," Economic Review: Journal of Economics and Business, University of Tuzla, Faculty of Economics, vol. 11(2), pages 21-30.
    12. Jashim Uddin Ahmed & N. M. Ashikuzzaman & Aditi Sonia Mansur Mahmud, 2017. "Social innovation in education: BRAC boat schools in Bangladesh," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 7(1), pages 1-14, December.
    13. Dilruba Khanam & Muhammad Mohiuddin & Asadul Hoque & Olaf Weber, 2018. "Financing micro-entrepreneurs for poverty alleviation: a performance analysis of microfinance services offered by BRAC, ASA, and Proshika from Bangladesh," Journal of Global Entrepreneurship Research, Springer;UNESCO Chair in Entrepreneurship, vol. 8(1), pages 1-17, December.
    14. Shahnawaz Mohammad Rafi, 2009. "The Pilot Maternal, Neonatal and Child Health Project (MNCH) at Nilphamari: Profiling the Changes During 2006-07," Working Papers id:2244, eSocialSciences.
    15. Jashim Uddin Ahmed & Wahida Shahan Tinne, 2017. "ASA: Cost-effective and Sustainable Microfinance Model NGO in Bangladesh," South Asian Journal of Business and Management Cases, , vol. 6(2), pages 167-175, December.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Namizata Binaté Fofana & Johan A. C. van Ophem & Anke Niehof & Gerrit Antonides, 2014. "Effects of HIV/AIDS and Microfinance of Women on Income, Medical Expenditures and Schooling in Côte d'Ivoire," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 26(2), pages 322-332, June.
    2. Zakir Husain & Diganta Mukerjee & Mousumi Dutta, 2014. "Self‐Help Groups And Empowerment Of Women: Self‐Selection, Or Actual Benefits?," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(4), pages 422-437, May.
    3. Lutfun N. Khan Osmani, 2007. "A breakthrough in women's bargaining power: the impact of microcredit," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 19(5), pages 695-716.
    4. J.D. Von Pischke, 1997. "Poverty, Human Development and Financial Services," Human Development Occasional Papers (1992-2007) HDOCPA-1997-04, Human Development Report Office (HDRO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
    5. Sajjad Zohir & Imran Matin, 2004. "Wider impacts of microfinance institutions: issues and concepts," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 16(3), pages 301-330.
    6. M. A. Baqui Khalily, 2004. "Quantitative approach to impact analysis of microfinance programmes in Bangladesh-what have we learned?," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 16(3), pages 331-353.
    7. Evans, Timothy G. & Adams, Alayne M. & Mohammed, Rafi & Norris, Alison H., 1999. "Demystifying Nonparticipation in Microcredit: A Population-Based Analysis," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 419-430, February.
    8. Husain, Zakir & Mukherjee, Diganta & Dutta, Mousumi, 2010. "Are women economically more empowered in Left-run municipalities? A study of Self Help Groups in West Bengal, India," MPRA Paper 14849, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Saha, Bibhas & Sangwan, Navjot, 2019. "Credit where credit's due: The enabling effects of empowerment in Indian microfinance," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 122(C), pages 537-551.
    10. Fletschner, Diana, 2000. "Enhancing Rural Women's Access to Capital: Why It Is Important and How It Can Be Done. The Case of Colombia," Staff Paper Series 437, University of Wisconsin, Agricultural and Applied Economics.
    11. Schreiner, Mark, 1997. "How To Measure The Subsidy Received By A Development Finance Institution," Economics and Sociology Occasional Papers - ESO Series 28323, Ohio State University, Department of Agricultural, Environmental and Development Economics.
    12. Qayyum, Abdul & Ahmed, Munir, 2006. "Efficiency and Sustainability of Micro Finance Institutions in South Asia," MPRA Paper 85467, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2014.
    13. Fatos Goksen & Ozlem Altan Olcay & Ayse Alniacik & G. Ceren Deniz, 2015. "An Analysis of Public Programs Related to Women’s Entrepreneurship and Access to Labor Markets," World Bank Publications - Reports 25413, The World Bank Group.
    14. Khatun, Mst Asma & Islam, Mohammad Amirul & Majumder, Shankar, 2012. "Impact of micro-credit programmes on poverty alleviation in Bangladesh," Bangladesh Journal of Agricultural Economics, Bangladesh Agricultural University, vol. 35(1-2).
    15. Gayen, Kaberi & Raeside, Robert, 2007. "Social networks, normative influence and health delivery in rural Bangladesh," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 65(5), pages 900-914, September.
    16. Astrid Sneyers & Anneleen Vandeplas, 2013. "Girl Power in Agricultural Production: How Much Does it Yield? A Case-Study on the Dairy Sector in India," Working Papers id:5562, eSocialSciences.
    17. Bhuiyan, Muhammad Faress & Ivlevs, Artjoms, 2019. "Micro-entrepreneurship and subjective well-being: Evidence from rural Bangladesh," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 625-645.
    18. Muhammad Ali Shaikh & Zahid Hussain Sahito & Mahboob Ali Dehraj, 2019. "Stem Education: Social, Cultural, and Economic Barriers Faced by Women of Khairpur (Pakistan)," Global Regional Review, Humanity Only, vol. 4(2), pages 392-403, June.
    19. Farhar, Barbara C., 1998. "Gender and renewable energy: Policy, analysis, and market implications," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 15(1), pages 230-239.
    20. Supriya Garikipati & Susan Johnson & Isabelle Guérin & Ariane Szafarz, 2017. "Microfinance and Gender: Issues, Challenges and The Road Ahead," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 53(5), pages 641-648, May.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:wly:jintdv:v:16:y:2004:i:3:p:369-386. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Wiley Content Delivery (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/5102/home .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.