Breaking the Chains of Poverty: Lessons from an Integrated Approach to Sustainable Development

Abstract

Poverty is a complex problem that affects millions of people worldwide. Despite the various measures taken, there is still a long way to go in eradicating poverty and improving the standard of living for all. This study evaluates the impact of an integrated approach, designed to address specific constraints faced by poor households, on poverty reduction and socio-economic development. The study employed a Randomized Controlled Trials design to evaluate the impact of the intervention. For the analysis, 100 households in the treatment group received the program, while the control group had an equal number of households that did not receive any assistance during the entire research period. Additionally, the study investigated 400 individuals to assess the individual-level outcomes. The findings suggested that the intervention had a positive impact on all economic and financial outcome variables of the treatment group. The study also reported an improvement in the personal lives of the participants by improving physical and mental health. Moreover, the results suggested that the intervention has contributed to increased political involvement and women’s empowerment. In light of these findings, the study recommends an integrated approach that combines various poverty reduction measures to enhance the well-being of impoverished households.