Discussants at a dialogue in Rajshahi said an integrated approach has become an urgent need for sustainable poverty reduction and improved livelihoods.
They stressed the need for multidimensional aspect of development and implementation of income generating activities for the poor and landless as diversified and inclusive microfinance will surely help alleviating poverty. To this end, there should be adequate measures of imparting necessary training to all the stakeholders and others concerned.
Institute of Microfinance (InM) organized its 6th Regional Dialogue at Nanking Darbar Hall in the city yesterday. Representatives of the NGOs and Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) working in this region and their members participated in the dialogue.
The regional dialog was divided into two sessions. The first session involved discussions with the members-borrowers of NGO and MFIs to learn about their present status; if they could improve their living conditions by taking loans from different NGO-MFIs.
The second session of the dialog had the executive heads of the NGO-MFIs of Rajshahi region as the participants discussing about the challenges they are facing while operating microfinance and other development programmes in this region.
Dr Riazul Islam, Prosper Coordination Team Leader of DFID, and Dr Musleh Uddih Sadeque, Director (Training Division) of InM, spoke at the discussion as the chief and special guests respectively with Professor M. A. Baqui Khalily, Executive Director of InM, in the chair. InM Senior Deputy Director Abdul Hai Mridha moderated the discussion.
The dialogue tried to understand the needs, problems and challenges the NGO-MFIs face while working in the sector.
Besides, the discussants shared their problems and ideas with the participants. The participants stated that the fund crisis is the major challenge they face. They also called for capacity development training programmes for the MFI officials.
The chief guest emphasizing the importance of field level group meeting of the borrowers suggested frequent meetings to discuss their problems.
In the concluding remarks, Professor Khalily said that there was much to be done on how to integrate development initiatives and programmes to mitigate the challenges being faced by the members and institutions and enhance their capacity. With proper coordination and cooperation the organizations can work together to put significant impact on it.
InM can play a significant role in these areas through collaboration on the priority agenda, he added.
More than 50 members and borrowers from different NGOs and MFIs from different districts under Rajshahi Division were present at the dialogue and actively participated in the discussion. Around 150 other Senior Executives and Senior Officials of NGO/ MFIs also participated in the dialogue.
