Micro-credit programs empower women through self-help groups

This study attempts to reveal the role of micro-credit in strengthening women's empowerment in the central region of Bangladesh, especially in the Gazipur district of Kaliakoir Upazila. Self help group generally performs various types of economic activities with the help of their small savings; enable members to gain economic benefits out of mutual help, solidarity and social responsibility. Generally, the economic benefit includes mobilization of savings and credit facilities and to pursue group based economic activities. The sample size is 100 which has been randomly selected and consists of the same number of Kaliakoir Upazila women who have been randomly selected and engaged in different income generating activities. The study found that women who receive microcredit are economically more empowered than women who receive non-microcredit. Thus, self help group can empower poor women by providing facilities like savings and credit in the economic development process of the society. Above all, it can be concluded on the basis of the empirical finding that micro-credit status has a positive effect on women's economic empowerment in the study area.