Caritas’ Cooperative Credit Union (CCU) in Bangladesh: A New Approach to Poverty Alleviation and Rural Development

Abstract

Caritas Bangladesh (CB) has been working in Bangladesh since 1971. It has seven Regional Offices in Barisal, Chittagong, Dhaka, Dinajpur, Khulna, Mymensingh and Rajshahi and one Area Office in Sylhet. CB has its National Office in Dhaka. CB has introduced the program of CCU in 2012 in Mymensingh region replacing microfinance program which was initiated by it in 1983 and terminated in 2012 due to piling up considerable outstanding loans and portfolio risk. The prime purpose of the present paper is, thus, to evaluate the performance of CCUs in terms of increasing income and livelihoods of the rural Adivasi people as well as to check with the sustainability of the organizations. To attain these objectives, a research framework has been formulated. A survey instrument is used for collecting data through field visits in greater Mymensingh. The analyses of these data helped to achieve the study objectives.

Keywords: CB, CCU, Adivashi people, poverty alleviation, rural development, Bangladesh