Microcredit Implementation as Poverty Alleviation Strategy: Evidence from Eskisehir Province

Microcredit programme which is used today in alleviation against the poverty, constitutes one of the significant policy instruments. Microcredit programmes, which are currently being implemented in many countries of the world including Turkey, have some important effects in terms of increasing employment besides preventing poverty. The aim of this study is to determine the efficiency of the microcredit in the prevention of the poverty in the province of Eskisehir. The data for the study were obtained from Eski ehir Branches (Tepebasi and Odunpazari) via the method of questionnaires. According to the research results, before and after the credit, there have been significant differences in family incomes of the microcredit borrowers and 1 out of every four families has surpassed the poverty line. Moreover, the positive contributions of the microcredit have been identified in female labor force participation rates depending on the employment growth.