Improving the livelihood of single mothers through microcredit facilities

Microcredit has been one of the tools used by the poor to increase income and alleviate poverty in many countries around the world. This study examine the impact of microcredit in empowering single mothers to create self employment, sustainable income, saving opportunities, productive assets, and fulfilling basic needs of single mothers in Malaysia. Questionnaires are distributed to 314 single mothers (i.e. divorcees and widows) in the state of Penang. This study suggests that microcredit helps in all but sustainable income and self-employment among single mothers in Penang. Further, our results show that most of our respondents receive microcredit aids from Amanah Ikhtiar Malaysia (AIM) - the most prominent microcredit agency in Malaysia though there are other microcredit agencies providing such assistance.