Male Pride
I was having a conversation on Sunday with someone about micro finance and development. I made some comment about how it was only good if given to women, and she said she had heard that too but didn’t understand it. I don’t claim to have a good understanding of why poor men are so much worse then poor women with loans.
I think in part it is because of the power differential. When you are used to having no control over money and suddenly get access to some of your own then you really value it.
The other thought I had is that if you as the “male provider” are so poor as to need a loan then you have “failed your family” and are likely to just want to drown your sorrows rather then seek active change. There is also the unwillingness of a man to seek help rather then just rely on himself. I know personally that many times I try too hard to do things myself rather then ask for help.
I’m not sure where this all fits in, but I am starting to think that maybe I need to think more about gender and it’s role in poverty. I think I need to develop a more holistic view rather then my rather simplistic current view that men are crap.