An in-depth analysis of eight microenterprise projects undertaken by three agencies in India, Bangladesh, Thailand, Peru, Guatemala, Honduras, Ghana and Tanzania. It is unique in its highly detailed presentation of such a varied range of individual projects, and in its use of a single analytical framework for all the projects, enabling comparisons to be tightly drawn between them. The study has generated some significant and controversial results. Looked at from the point of view of the women this book attempts to describe the impact of the different projects on their lives.