asynchronous 12: Microcredit &Ready-to-Use Therapeutic Food (RUTF)

Indicate how microfinance (including microcredit)

could alleviate poverty and improve food security

small loans given to people in poverty in remote areas

• enable people to invest in their small business, increase income and family’s living standards

• increasing access to other services, training

improves meal QUALITY

• increase meat and fish consumption

• improvements observed if microcredit client was FEMALE

Describe the Grameen Bank (founded by

Muhammad Yunus in Bangladesh)

• allows poor to bank with no collateral, full guarantee, no lawyers

• mostly used by women for small businesses, hiring employees, more sewing machines

• $100 million monthy lent out

• higher education for students

Give specific examples of how the impact of

microcredit has been assessed – and what can be

learned from those evaluations

• we need to understand when these strategies can be used and who can use it

• studies in suh saharan africa

  • some poorer from microfinance → suggest to target entrepreneurs rather than unexperienced

  • positive on saving, mixed on income

  • negatively impact clients childrens education

describe RUTF, their development, and their impact on the treatment of severe acute malnutrition

• sache plumpy nut

  • oil, sugar, milk powder, peanut butter

  • lasts on shelf

  • easier to use because administered at home rather than the milk used in clinic

• 89% children with SAM recovered, no signs of allergy

identify and evaluate strengths and limitations of RUTF’s

limitations:

• no evaluation of the vitamin and mineral status of children is done at the end of treatment

• reliance on dairy is expensive and less sustainable, could other formulations work?

• effects on mortality and relapse unknown

consider ethical and practical questions about the use of RUTF and identify useful directions future research

need a greater measurement of functional outcomes: learning, development, physical growth, etc