Micro - credit to fight against poverty: The province of Muş sample

Various policies have been generated in order to decrease poverty and increase the producing sectors and level of income rather than the consuming ones. During the application of these policies, various tools are used. Among these tools, Micro-Credit which is applied in Turkey as in many different countries worldwide and which has gained more importance in recent years looms large. The purpose of the Micro-Credit model is to allow poor women to participate in economy and to be individuals who produce and earn. The purpose of our study is to survey whether the Micro-Credit model is functional in reducing poverty in Muş, a province in the Eastern Anatolian Region. In consistent with the purpose of our study, an interview survey was carried out on 200 beneficiary women in the province of Muş in order to find out social and economic effects of Micro-Credit on women. As a result of Micro-Credit application, it was found out that not only beneficiary women but also the other women who were employed by the beneficiary women contributed to employment and became producing individuals as well as achieved an increase in their incomes. In our study, it was also observed that there was a significant increase not only in their individual incomes but also in their total domestic incomes and savings in the family. Furthermore, it was also found out that Micro-Credit beneficiary women's gaining economic independence resulted in a rise not only in their status in the family and surrounding but also their self-confidence. The findings in our study have provided us enough evidence to support our hypothesis that 'Micro-Credit Model is functional in reducing the poverty in the province of Muş Sample. Key Words: Poverty, Micro-Credit, The Province of Muş Sample.