Is ASA Micro-credit Reaching the Poor in Bangladesh?

This paper attempts to evaluate how successful has ASA through its micro-credit activities been at reaching poor people in Bangladesh. Key issues in the micro-credit debate are discussed. Data collected in a 2009 survey of ASA micro-credit borrowers is analysed. It is found that over half of borrowers own no land. In addition, it is found that two-fifth of borrowers report having no formal education or only the ability to read and write. Since landless and low education are perhaps the two main determinants of poverty, our main conclusion is that ASA is indeed provides loans primarily to poor people [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]