1. 1
Challenging The Frontiers of Poverty Reduction
Targeting the Ultra Poor
Rabeya Yasmin
Associate Director, Ultra Poor Programs
BRAC

2. 2
Targeting the Ultra Poor
Extreme Poverty : Bangladesh Record
• Ultra Poor = 3 million Households live below food
poverty line
 Spend US$ 8 /person /month on food.
 Non food expenditure is almost nil.
Source: BBS , 2005

3. 3
Targeting the Ultra Poor
Extreme Poverty : Bangladesh Record
• 54 % completely landless
• 50% of household cannot afford two meals a day
• 70% depend on irregular day labour for income source
• 90% ultra poor have no fixed place for defecation
• Only 3% of the ultra poor household reported ever participation in
development programs
Source : base line study by BRAC RED , 2002

4. 4
Targeting the Ultra Poor
Challenging the Frontiers of Poverty Reduction
Targeting the Ultra Poor
(CFPR-TUP)
Objectives
 Assist the ultra poor to improve their
livelihoods by achieving positive economic,
social and aspirational changes
 Assist the ultra poor to access mainstream
development services

5. 5
Targeting the Ultra Poor
Core programme
• Enterprise Development Training
• Special Investment /Asset Transfer
• Stipend as short term income
support
• Tailor made safety support through
community mobilization
• Tailor made Health support
Support Services
• Research and Evaluation
• Advocacy programs

6. 6
Targeting the Ultra Poor
Coverage
2002 -2011 : 400,000 HHs

7. 7
Targeting
Female headed households (% of
targeted households) 42
Marital status of the targeted women
Divorced (%) 1.31
Separated (%) 6.97
Widow (%) 28.10
Married and living with husband (%) 63.62

8. 8
Livestock/poultry ownership
Percentage of households own livestock/poultry
36
95 92
52
63 61
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
2002 (baseline) 2005 2008
%ofhouseholds
SUP
NSUP

9. 9
Economic Improvements
Economic Improvements
41
8
62
96 98
19
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
Own productive
assets
Have cash savings Vulnerability to
food insecurity
%ofWomenreportingeconomic
improvement
in 2002
in 2008

10. 10
Trend in average per capita income
0
1000
2000
3000
4000
5000
6000
7000
8000
2002 2005 2008
Percapitaannualincome(Tk.,2002
constantprice)
Beneficiary
Comparison

11. 11
Self perceived food insecurity
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
2002 2005 2008
%ofHHsreporting
chronicfooddeficit
Beneficiary
Comparison

12. 12
Personal & Social Improvements
Awareness of Rights
5.4
12
1.5
6
20
54 56
61
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
Know correct
divorce law
Know age of
vote casting
Know
property
division
between son
& daughter
Know
punishment
for acid
throwing
%ofWomendemonstrating
improvementinknowledge&
awareness
in 2002
in 2008

13. 13
Per capita energy consumption (kcal/person/day)
2248
2097
1742
1876
17691773
0
500
1000
1500
2000
2500
2002 2004 2006
Beneficiary Comparison

14. 14
Targeting the Ultra Poor
Challenges
• Addressing diversity
• health support for the graduates
• Limitations in Livestock sector
• Investment