Micro-credit intervention and its effects on empowerment of rural women: the BRAC experience

The study was designed to analyse rural women’s economic empowerment as the outcome of micro-credit interventions. The study was conducted in Shahjatpur and Jalalpur villages under Melandaha Upazila of Jamalpur District. A total of 90 respondents were selected randomly, out of which 45 were involved in the credit scheme of the Bangladesh Rural Advancement Committee (BRAC) and other 45 women had no involvement in any credit programme. Both qualitative and quantitative data were collected through group discussions and interviews with the respondents in December 2008. Three economic indicators (income, savings and asset) were considered to measure women’s empowerment. The independent sample t-test was performed to evaluate the impact of micro-credit on women’s economic empowerment.