New ASC Infosheet: Defining, targeting and reaching the very poor in Bangladesh, Benin and Ethiopia

In 2007, three Dutch NGOs decided to support the development of a new approach for evaluation called PADev (Participatory Assessment of Development). The Dutch faith-based NGO Woord&Daad was particularly struck by research findings that the ultra-poor were not reached by the large majority of development initiatives. PhD candidate Anika Altaf was asked to carry out research in places where Woord&Daad thought that their partner organisations were making genuine efforts to reach the ultra-poor. They wanted to know how the ultra-poor in these locations judged the success of this focus. This led to four case studies in three countries: one in Bangladesh, one in Benin and two in Ethiopia. In all case study areas the research focused on the opinions of the ultra-poor themselves, using PADev workshop approaches, as well as life histories and individual interviews. In this ASC Infosheet, Anika Altaf and Ton Dietz write that if NGOs want to include the ultra-poor in economic programmes, they need to emphasize social protection and human rights approaches that go beyond those programmes.

This is ASC Infosheet nr 25. Read the full text.

Photo: Anika Altaf