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Library » Microfinance Systems: Designing Quality Financial Services for the Poor

Microfinance Systems: Designing Quality Financial Services for the Poor
1 Oct 2000, Wright, G.

What are key issues in micro-finance and how can solutions be adapted from and to local experience?

This book was written at the request of practitioners and donor agencies and draws on research and practical experience in Bangladesh, Philippines and East Africa. It outlines the cutting edge issues of:

Poverty reduction and outreach,
Empowerment of women and poorer clients to enhance their status,
Improving the health and nutrition of the poor.

The book addresses the role of savings and savings mobilisation in micro-finance with its implications for clients, institutions and the regulatory authorities. These are joined to examples of how to recruit, develop and maintain high quality clients, and wider issues of the replication of successful micro-finance systems. An approach based on

First looking at what poor people do for themselves
Second by designing products and delivery systems that help them do it even better
Incorporating the best of formal and informal microfinance practices
Providing clear examples of how to design micro-finance systems that deliver quality financial services to the poor

The book concludes with practical examples from two case studies that detail how two very different systems were developed

[abstracted from review]

Authors' abstract:
There is a tendency to place much more emphasis on the capital funds without adequate investment in ensuring the absorptive capacity of the MFIs to be capitalised. Professor Yunus' presentation to the MicroCredit Summit both in Abidjan and in Harare emphasised capital-led national apexes "getting money into the hands of poor women" with scant reference to/regard for the need to ensure that the MFIs are capable of delivering the services. Many a donor project falls into this trap and the consequences can be devastating as the wrecks of previously (relatively) successful MFIs scattered across the landscape of parts of Africa bear testimony.

Additional Information:
This is a paid publication. Please contact Amazon.com for a copy.

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