Plugging in microenterprises : a study of electricity use as a strategy to address poverty in rural Vietnam

While not all governments in developing countries seem to acknowledge the importance of the relation between energy and poverty reduction, some do recognize this as an essential link when promoting economic development. However, empirical data or a scientific understanding of the role of energy in poverty reduction is lacking. This paper will provide empirical data on the link between electricity and poverty reduction applied to the situation of micro enterprises. It will consider the role of electricity in poverty reduction through an assessment of impacts of the acquired access to electricity by micro enterprises and of the impact of those changes in enterprises on the livelihoods of the household. This is described in the problem formulation: Does acquiring access to electricity have any effect on the viability of micro enterprises (ME)?