Impact of microfinance on the livelihood of the financially underprivileged

Microfinance has emerged as an effective tool for poverty alleviation. Several microfinance programmes have significantly helped in the upliftment of the disadvantaged and vulnerable section of the society. This paper aims to evaluate the impact of one such microfinance programme on the lives of its beneficiaries. To assess the impact of the programme, primary data were collected from 100 beneficiaries of Nalbari district in Assam. Statistical methods have been used to determine the relationships between variables. Data has been summarised and presented in the form of tables and charts. Results have revealed an increase in the income, expenditure, savings and household assets. Results of the ANOVA showed that the income varies significantly across the different livelihood activities. In addition to this, it was found that savings of the beneficiaries are significantly dependent on their income.