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Microcredit in Uganda: Fundamental Reform or Just another Neoliberal Policy?

African Journal of Economic Review

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Title Microcredit in Uganda: Fundamental Reform or Just another Neoliberal Policy?
 
Creator Miller, Paige
Brux, Jacqueline Murray
Neema, Clementia Murembe
 
Subject Gender, Microcredit, Africa, Development, Neoliberalism, Poverty
 
Description Widespread global initiatives aimed at improving conditions for the world’s poor  have frequently begun with the vision of just a few people. Examples are numerous  but in this paper we focus on micro-enterprise credit (microcredit). In the case of  microcredit, a widespread movement has placed projects in many countries  throughout the developing world. Microcredit is typically made available to women  who would otherwise not have access to loans on reasonable terms. While some  view microcredit as a revolutionary means of improving both the lives of women and the poor more generally, others argue it is a band aid approach to development,  rooted in a neoliberal logic that does very little in terms of enacting real, long-term change. These arguments, however, are often based on evidence from Asian or  other non-African countries and so don’t account for different models of microcredit or cultural context in shaping outcomes for women and their families. We address  these issues through a qualitative study of three microcredit groups in the east  African country of Uganda. Based on qualitative interviews, we argue that  microcredit holds a number of possibilities for women and their communities  including healthier families and educated children as well as more intangible  benefits such as feelings of solidarity and self-confidence. While our interviews  suggest a number of benefits of micro-enterprise credit, we recognize that such  programs are not the single solution to poverty. Ultimately, though, we argue that the negatives do not dispel the benefits that can result for many women.Keywords: Gender, Microcredit, Africa, Development, Neoliberalism, Poverty
 
Publisher Centre for Economics and Community Economic Development
 
Contributor —
 
Date 2016-05-24
 
Type info:eu-repo/semantics/article
info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersion
Peer-reviewed Article
 
Format application/pdf
 
Identifier http://www.ajol.info/index.php/ajer/article/view/136049
 
Source African Journal of Economic Review; Vol 4, No 2 (2016); 117-137
1821-8148
 
Language eng
 
Relation http://www.ajol.info/index.php/ajer/article/view/136049/125540
 
Rights The copyright belongs to: African Journal of Economic Review, Centre for Economics and Community Economic Development, The Open University of Tanzania, P.O.Box 23409, Dar es salaam, Tanzania