Evaluation of Micro-Credit Funds for Rural Women in Lorestan Province of Iran

This study aimed at analyzing the success rate of rural women's micro-credit funds by applying principles of project management assessment in Lorestan province of Iran. The statistical population included 750 members of the rural women's micro-credit funds, out of whom 257 individuals were selected as the sample size using the Krejcie and Morgan table. The data collection tool was a researcher-made questionnaire. The data were analyzed by using the mean, standard deviation, frequency and frequency percentage in the descriptive statistics section and applying correlation test, ANOVA and diagnostic analysis in the inferential analysis section. Grouping results of the discriminant analysis indicated that the audit function was able to group three types of good, average, and weak funds with a 79.4 percent degree of accuracy. The study results also showed that 76.4 percent of the members of the good funds, 88.5 percent of the members of the average funds, and 70.5 percent of the members of the weak funds were properly placed in their funds. In addition, according to the correlation test results, the members with better status in terms of income, period of membership, number of received loans and amount of received loans were more satisfied economically, socially, culturally and psychologically with the performance of Agriculture-Jahad Organization of the province in the course of funds' activities.