Microfinance, vulnerability and risk in low income households

We investigate if participation in the Indian Self Help Group (SHG) program results in reducing poverty and vulnerability. The theoretical framework examines the mechanisms through which the pecuniary and non-pecuniary effects of the SHG impacts the households' ability to manage risk. We use a vulnerability measure that quantifies the welfare loss associated with poverty and different types of risks, on an Indian panel survey data. Our results show that SHG members are less vulnerable compared with a group of non-SHG (control) members. About 80% of the vulnerability faced by the households is poverty related.