1. The self help group bank linkage programme -- 2. Impact assessment methodologies and study design -- 3. Reducing poverty and vulnerability -- 4. Asset creation -- 5. Empowering women -- 6. Building human capital through training -- 7. Achieving impact and meeting challenges.

Microfinance programs like Self Help Group Bank linkage program (SHG), aim to empower women through provision of financial services. We investigate this further to determine whether it is the economic or the non-economic factors that have a greater impact on empowering women. Using household...

We evaluate the effect of Self Help Group participation on a long term impact parameter, namely asset creation. Indian Self Help Groups (SHGs) are unique in that they are mainly NGO-formed microfinance groups but later funded by commercial banks. The results reveal that longer membership in SHGs...