"Pass on the pen" approach: identifying the poorest of the poor families

Publication year: 
1991

The "pass on the pen" approach was used to identify the poorest of the poor families eligible for credit assistance under the Integrated Rural Development programme (IRDP) in Anantapur District, India. The pen, a symbol of truth and learning, was given to the poorest villager who then told about their situation and passed the pen to another poor person. The detailed description of this event shows clearly how the technique helped ensure a fair selection of families for credit assistance, avoiding manipulation by government officials.

Interest groups: 
Trainers, fieldworkers working at community level.
Source publication information
Journal Title: 
RRA Notes
Volume: 
14 (December)
Pages: 
29-32
Publisher
IIED, 3 Endsleigh Street, London WC1H ODD, UK
Holdings: 
IIED

How to find this resource

Shelfmark in IDS Resource Centre
A : RRA notes 167