Civil society is not a constant, rather it is continuously evolving and its roles vary in different contexts and at different levels of economic development. The organization was started in 1976 by Muhammad Yunus, who lent money to 42 persons because he trusted they would repay it. When the state is weak or not interested, civil society and the social capital it engenders can be a crucial provider of informal social insurance and can facilitate economic development. Social capital has helped Six-S to mobilize over 1 million villagers in 1,500 communities in West Africa in an effort to create better agriculture opportunities during the dry season. Social Capital Across Sectors State, market and civil society can increase their effectiveness by contributing jointly to the provision of welfare and economic development.
Social capital facilitates exchanges of resources and skills across sectors.