Journal of Emerging Trends in Economics and Management Sciences: Home

Abstract:
Nowadays, Microfinance is one of the effective tools for alleviating poverty in all over the world. It empowers women, increases standard of living, alleviates poverty and creates social capital. Microfinance institutions also use the proxies of social capital such as bonding, bridging, norms of norms of reciprocity and networks and thus these institutions perform microfinance activities smoothly for attaining sustainable development. This paper is based on a qualitative study and a small-scale field study in Bangladesh. The small-scale field study provided answers to the research question. The methods used in the field were mainly questionnaire that has been attached in the appendix. Primary data is collected through semi-structured interviews. The theoretical framework is based on written literature about Putnam?s Social Capital. The results that have been analysed with microfinance and social capital permit the following conclusions: Microfinance puts contribution to increase in standard of living of poor people, empower women and reduce poverty. However, some consensuses are that microfinance is not the effective tool for increasing standard of living, empowering women and alleviating poverty. However, the main purpose of this paper is to analyze the effectiveness of microfinance, especially for increasing the level of income of the deprived people in society that would create social capital and boost the country?s economic development. It is significant to study on micro finance as it has enormous role in poverty alleviation, social development, women empowerment and so on. The impact of this study may be on the people engaged in different sector like, agriculture, education, health and social development as many of them are getting the benefits of micro credit. It will also help the people to take decision who are interested to come under the facilities of micro credit. This study will helpful for the policy makers to take necessary policy regarding micro credit. Students will also be benefited from this study who is interested to know about micro credit.

Keywords: microfinance, micro banks, microfinance organizations, social capital, women empowerment

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