The South Asia Region and the Poverty Reduction Group of the World Bank presented today its new publication: Ending Poverty in South Asia: Ideas That Work, edited by Deepa Narayan and Elena Glinskaya.This is a collection of case studies that describe experiences by practitioners in the ground and ideas that have worked reducing poverty in the South Asia region. We can draw lessons from these success stories that could be applicable in other parts of the world.

 

In the presentation of the book today, Deepa Narayan warned against the temptation to apply literally the same projects in other countries, but mentioned four overall lessons from the book:

 

• Individuals really make a difference. These success stories always have behind them leaders committed to making a change.

• The mindset about the poor is an issue.  Even while discussing poverty reduction, the poor are often still invisible. The blindness of policy makers and the voiceless of the poor combine to perpetuate this state of things.

• Poor people are not waiting idle. They are entrepreneurs. How to connect poor people to markets is crucial.

• Poor people are generally not organized. When they organize themselves they are heard.
  

Source: World Bank Poverty and Growth Program