Title: Grameen microcredit and poverty alleviation: a review of Grameen Bank's performance on poverty alleviation in Bangladesh

Authors: Abul Bashar Bhuiyan; Chamhuri Siwar; Basri Abdul Talib

Addresses: Institute for Environment and Development (LESTARI), National University of Malaysia (UKM), Bangi, Selangor 43600, Malaysia ' Institute for Environment and Development (LESTARI), National University of Malaysia (UKM), Bangi, Selangor 43600, Malaysia ' Faculty of Economics and Business, National University of Malaysia (UKM), Bangi, Selangor 43600, Malaysia

Abstract: This paper reviews empirical evidence on the common findings from the existing literature on Grameen Bank (GB) microcredit performance on the borrower's poverty alleviation in Bangladesh. We first examine the GB microcredit impact on poverty alleviation with respect to its member's income, consumption, health, children's education and women empowerment. In general, most of the findings from the literature have shown that Bank members are doing well to reduce their vulnerability and to increase income and consumption, health improvement, literacy of children and empowerment compared to non-members and controlled groups. However, this paper also examines some criticisms about the effective uses of microcredit rather than commercial mentality for profit making of microfinance institutions (MFIs).

Keywords: microcredit; Grameen Bank; banks; banking; Bangladesh; microfinance institutions; MFIs; financial services; poverty alleviation; borrowers; incomes; household consumption; children; education; women; female empowerment; bank members; vulnerability; health improvement; child literacy; non-members; controlled groups; commercial mentality; profit making; sustainable society; sustainability; sustainable development.

DOI: 10.1504/IJSSOC.2012.047283

International Journal of Sustainable Society, 2012 Vol.4 No.3, pp.300 - 315

Published online: 31 Dec 2014 *

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