Managing welfare improvement for the urban poor : a case study from Bangkok, Thailand

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to investigate how the urban poor community dwellers in Bangkok manage their own development projects through community schemes. The main objectives were to explore the needs of the poor, the management constraints, opinions on the successfulness of the schemes, the possibility for their sustainability, and to obtain suggestions for improved methods. There were three groups of respondents to the questionnaires used: the community dwellers, the scheme (project) committee members, and two officers of supporting organisations (NGOs). The numbers involved were 135 community dwellers and 14 committee members as well as the two organisational officers. The results showed that the community dwellers did not in general participate in project preparation, design and implementation with the main barrier being their poverty which required them to spend all their time earning. However, most were satisfied with the intentions of the project committees and noted that the Social Investment Fund (the funding scheme) would reduce their poverty if the project committees could continue the work started and increase the amount of the loans. The committee members are the social capital of the community and were supported by the co-ordinating organisational officers. However, the committee could not use full participatory approaches due to insufficient time, but the members did participate in all stages of the project cycle: preparation, design and implementation. This experience will assist the locals in working for their community in the longer run. Committee members and the organisational officers agreed that the SIF project was effective in bringing about social cohesion and mutual support. The project should be sustainable through its revolving fund even though it includes the poorest people as beneficiaries. A successful outcome will not be seen in the short run as effects of factors such as enhanced education take many years and will depend on the continuing access to credit. The final evaluation will need to be carried out after the project has been in operation for several years.