Comparative Study of Family Development Approach and Group Based Approach of Dipshikha on Poverty Reduction

Abstract

Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) are well-known in Bangladesh for their innovative approaches. Dipshikha, an NGO, working for the resource poor people in order to reduce poverty specially in the northern part of Bangladesh. It has been working through two approaches namely (i) Family Development Approach and (ii) Group Based Approach. In the study attempts were made to determine the extent of effectiveness of family development approach (FDA) and group based approach (GBA) of Dipshikha towards poverty reduction. The effectiveness were measured by computing the changes in annual income, expenditure for food and nutrition, expenditure for health, education and others, land assets, productive assets other than land, non-productive assets, housing condition, drinking water sources, sanitation conditions, between before and after involvement with Dipshikha under both the approaches. Some of selected characteristics of the respondents and their contribution to the effectiveness of family development approach and group based approach were determined and described as well. Data were collected from early October to early November, 2006. The findings of the study indicated that the economical condition of Dipshikha beneficiaries under both the approaches had improved significantly after involvement with Dipshikha in relation with annual income, food and non-food expenditures, productive and non-productive assets. The Head Count (HC) method pointed out that the poverty level reduced significantly after involvement with Dipshikha under both the approaches. Poverty was reduced by 39% from 93% in FDA and 31 % from 77% in G BA. Although, the Foster-Greer-Thorbecke (FGT) index showed that 51 % of the respondents from FDA and 43% from GBA were stiU remain under upper poverty line in terms of income. By MD. MAHBUBUL ISLAM ABSTRACT Social well beings conditions of the respondents namely housing condition, sanitation condition, access of safe drinking water, knowledge on hea Ith and social issues and women empowerment situation were improved significantly as well under both the approaches after involvement with Dipshikha. The findings revealed that 27%, 63% and I 0% of the respondents had low, medium and high socio economic changes respectively after involvement with Dipshikha under FDA while, 27%, 68% and 5% had low, medium and high changes respectively in GBA. The independent sample t­ test showed that there was no difference between the effectiveness of FDA and GBA towards poverty reduction. But the findings showed that FDA has more potentials than GBA towards poverty reduction in terms of time, credit utilization, credit repayment, savings accumulation, training exposure, use of safe drinking water and sanitary latrine, awareness on health etc. Implementation of family development plan. involvement with Dipshikha, savings of the family, credit availability and acceptance of loan received condition had positive contribution and family size had negative contribution to the effectiveness of FDA of Dipshikha. Utilization of credit, annual income and attitude towards Dipshikha had positive contribution to the extent of effectiveness of G BA of Dipshikha.