A Model of Poverty Alleviation in the Northeast of Thailand by the Royal Initiative Discovery Foundation

Abstract

This article studies the methods of operation and the consequences of the poverty alleviation project of the Royal Initiative Discovery Foundation (Pid Tong Lang Pra Foundation) as a model of poverty alleviation. The model applies budget support methods in the form of working capital allocation and technical assistance to the target communities by the staff of the Royal Initiative Discovery Foundation as a mentoring team. It examines the case of the sustainable water management project of Huai Klai Reservoir with a focus on two villages in Udon Thani Province. The main data used in this study were obtained from in-depth interviews with community leaders and staff of the Royal Initiative Discovery Foundation, revolving loan board members, and members of the local enterprise groups. The data were analyzed using content analysis methods, using minimum essential need indicators or multi-dimensional poverty index. The research found that the model is successful. The people in the two case study villages were able to become free of poverty according to the five dimensions of the indicators and elevated themselves to become sustainable, self-reliant villages. The study concludes that a strategy for sustainable reduction in poverty must include capacity building of the target population. In addition, this must be coupled with a strengthening of the economic foundation of the community. When implemented in tandem, these two approaches should lead to sustainable prosperity.