Wrenn, Eoin (2007) Perceptions of the Impact of Microinance on Livelihood Security. Research and Perspectives on Development Practice, 1. ISSN 2009-6976

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Abstract

This study examined the impact of three microinance projects, in Kenya, Uganda and Rwanda, supported by the Irish aid agency Trócaire, on the livelihood security of project beneiciaries. The perceptions of Trócaire as a donor; three of its partners working in the area of microinance; and project beneiciaries, on the impact of the projects on the livelihood security of the beneiciaries were assessed. The ind ings from the study indicate that the donor and its partners who are implementing the projects are not assessing the overall impact of their projects. The donor is not aware of the impact of its support of microinance projects, while the implementing agencies are mainly concerned with the inancial performance of their organisations, and the impact on clients’ inancial well-being. Academics and microinance practitioners, advocate for much wider impact assessments of microinance projects, other than inancial impact, if the true impact of microinance is to be understood. They argue that instead of using traditional inancial impact assessments, assessments should be broadened to include social, cultural and political impacts on clients, their families and in deed the wider community. This study highlights that all three pro jects are having positive social and non-inancial impacts but the im plementing agencies are not assessing such impact. All three projects are having very positive social impacts, and while individual staff members within the implementing agencies are aware of these, the implementing agencies themselves are not documenting or assessing such impact. Therefore, the donor and all three partners are undermining their support of microinance by not assessing the wider impacts of the projects. The role of microinance in poverty alleviation is subsequently being underrated by not assessing the wider impacts of microinance interventions, even though positive impacts are clearly taking place.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	Research and Perspectives on Development Practice Series Paper No. 1
Keywords:	Perceptions; Impact; Microinance; Livelihood Security; Kimmage Development Studies Centre;
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Social Sciences > International Development
Item ID:	10017
Depositing User:	IR Editor
Date Deposited:	27 Sep 2018 14:26
Journal or Publication Title:	Research and Perspectives on Development Practice
Publisher:	Kimmage Development Studies Centre
Refereed:	Yes
URI:	Organisation
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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