Although the entire household benefits from the range of CLP activities on offer, the named core beneficiary for the Asset Transfer Programme is almost always a woman. This strategy aims to increase and strengthen the position of women within the household, empowering them by enabling them to contribute more significantly to household income and decision making. In general, these women not only tend to be marginalised within the household but also in the wider community. Approximately 24% of core beneficiary households are female headed and often formed of abandoned, widowed and separated women and their dependents. Even within the extreme poor group CLP works with, this sub-section of households are invariably income and asset poorer than their male-headed counterparts. Frequently, these households are forced to live at the vulnerable edge of the village, beside the erosion prone banks of the river.

Currently, the CLP works with these 55,000 named beneficiaries increasing their knowledge, skills and capacity to cooperate with others in their community and further household sustainability. The main forum for this capacity development is through a community based women’s group.

Sharing Stories and Experiences: Group Membership

Just before CLP core beneficiaries receive their income generating asset they are formed into groups of approximately 22 beneficiaries, many of whom are illiterate and have received no formal education. Over 2,000 of these groups now meet weekly. These spaces are not only used for administrative and educational purposes but also increase social capital and cohesion between women that may not usually meet in this way. By being part of such groups, these women are able to share their experience and knowledge, build networks of friendship and establish greater control and responsibility over aspects of their lives.

Increasing Knowledge: A Structured Learning Programme

By being members of these groups, CLP core beneficiaries are also taught a pre-established 56 week curriculum over an eighteen month period. Each structured session is delivered by CDOs and lasts one hour. Topics covered include:

• Health & the environment - involving personal hygiene, cleanliness of the house and homestead, drinking safe water, using sanitary latrines, child health and anti-natal care, family planning and healthcare for adolescents.
• Disaster preparedness - for flooding, drought and monga and river erosion. They also learn about the kinds of support, from each other, local government and NGOs, that are available during a disaster.
• Protection against social evils – including marriage registration, the legal age of marriage, polygamy, desertion, dowry and violence against women.
• Supportive capital – the individual and institutional support which is available as well as that offered by the CLP.
• Social capital & cohesion – highlighting and strengthening mutual trust and cooperation on an intra and inter-community level.
• Rights Awareness - the human and civil rights of char dwellers.
• Loan Management – taught at the end of the CLP intervention cycle, this offers CLP core beneficiary graduates basic loan and financial management skills and introduces them to the VSLA scheme.