With the understanding that effective poverty reduction is multi-dimensional, this volume is a collection of papers examining such approaches within NGO projects and programmes. The papers were written to explore the integration of income generation and employment, infrastructure and services and organizational capacity building, and the cases were selected because they sought such integration. However, as is evident from the studies, in most cases one area was prioritized while others were of secondary concern. The studies are broadly located within the livelihood approach, with its definition of multiple assets. To assist with the elaboration of specific outcomes that emerge from the NGO intervention, the studies compare the intervention areas with another similar locality.

The studies are grouped into three sections. The first comprises “Countries emerging from war”, while the second and third sections comprise studies from more politically stable countries in Africa and Asia. The countries profiled in the first section are Mozambique, Angola and the Sudan, with interventions concerning infrastructure improvements as a major area of activity described in the first two studies, and interventions concerning more stable tenure and income-generation together with neighbourhood improvements described in the thrid. The Africa section includes studies from South Africa, Kenya and Zimbabwe: in all three cases, shelter improvements are a major entry point, with income generation being an area where activities have been attempted but with less emphasis. Shelter improvements have been used as a means through which stronger local organizations can be consolidated. Income generation is more strongly represented in studies from Asia, with Pakistan, India and Bangladesh all providing examples of NGO interventions that have sought to support improved employment, with subsequent benefits for the quality of shelter and neighbourhoods.