Development, Divinity, and Dharma: The Role of Religion in Development Institutions and Microfinance Book

Figures     vii
Tables     viii
Boxes     ix
Acknowledgements     xi
About the authors     xii
List of abbreviations     xiii
Introduction     1
Religion and development - can they go together?     7
The lessons of history     7
Religion and development institutions     10
Can religion help?     11
Links to local institutions and communities     14
Leadership and management     17
How does religion affect the 'BINGOs'?     21
Financial indicators     21
Dakshin Kannada and Dharmasthala Temple     29
South Canara district     29
The banking tradition     30
The Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala Temple     34
SKDRDP, the rural development programme     39
The origins of SKDRDP     39
Reappraisal and restructuring     42
SKDRDP's programmes     45
The Pragathi Bandhu groups     48
The JVK Women's groups     49
Alcohol de-addiction     51
Community development programmes     54
Microfinance     57
The origins of SKDRDP'smicrofinance programme     57
Raising bank finance     59
The power of groups     60
Financial results     63
Microinsurance     72
Livelihoods     77
Microfinance is not enough     77
Group businesses     80
The sevanirathas     85
The role of the sevanirathas     85
A day in the life of Sivaram Pujary, a sevaniratha     90
Two cases of success     95
Moneppa Gowda, a successful household     95
Sree Nidhi Panakaje, the Women's Snacks Group     100
The results of SKDRDP's work     107
The impact on the community     107
Future challenges     113
What explains SKDRDP's success?     117
Breaking the rules     117
The divinity factor     119
Islamic development practice     123
The special circumstances of Islam     123
Examples from Bosnia Herzegovina and Hyderabad     127
Akhuwat of Lahore     131
Muslim development NGOs - some tentative conclusions     138
Christian development practice and some examples     141
'Christian development'     141
'Catholic Bank', or the Chotanagpur Catholic Co-operative Society     146
The Holy Cross Social Service Centre, Hazaribag     160
Catholic Bank and Holy Cross - some comparisons     169
Conclusions     173
Some common features     173
Strengths and weaknesses     175
'Sustainability', of a different kind     176
The lessons of experience     177