Ask the Experts

Q&A with Joanna Ledgerwood and Victoria White  

Joanna Ledgerwood and Victoria White are the co-authors of Transforming Microfinance Institutions: Providing Full Financial Services to the Poor. The book is a practical "how-to" manual for MFIs looking to become regulated institutions. We talk to Joanna and Victoria about how MFIs can transform to successfully offer savings services while maintaining a pro-poor focus. To read the full article, click here .

Q & A with Carlos Cuevas  

Carlos Cuevas of the World Bank's Financial Sector department shares his views on how best to protect the savings of cooperative members..

Q & A with Michael Sherraden  

Michael Sherraden, founding director of the Center for Social Development (CSD) at the Washington University in St. Louis, shares his thoughts about the benefits of asset-building policies and programs, such as universal savings accounts for social protection and development. To read the full article, click here .

Q & A with Daryl Collins  

Daryl Collins, director of the Financial Diaries project highlights the key messages of her focus note "Stocks and Flows - Quantifying the Savings Power of the Poor". To read the full article, click here.

Q & A with Glenn Westley  

Glenn Westley, highlights the key messages of his paper "How Should Microfinance Institutions Best Fund Themselves?". To read the full article, click here .

Special Edition!
"POINT, COUNTERPOINT" A Dialogue on Member-Owned Financial Institutions and Increasing Access to Savings Facilities  

Two leading practitioners - Jeffrey Ashe of Oxfam America and Elisabeth Rhyne of Acción International - are exchanging views on the potential role of MOFIs in mobilizing savings and scaling up rural access to finance. To read the full article, click here .

Q & A with Steve Peachey on savings banks  

Steve Peachey highlights the key messages of his paper "Access to Finance: What Does It Mean and How Do Savings Banks Foster Access". To read the full article, click here .

Jim Roth on long term contractual savings and the poor

Jim Roth answers eight questions about long term contractual savings and the poor and the possible role that insurance companies play in providing these services.

Madeline Hirschland on the key messages from her new book

Madeline Hirschland, editor and author of Savings Services for the Poor, highlights the key messages of her book released by Kumarian Press.

Robert Vogel on the challenges of savings management

Robert Vogel, answers five frequently-asked questions about the challenges that different financial intermediaries face when they start mobilizing small-balance savings.

Brian Branch on financial cooperatives

Brian Branch, Chief Operating Officer (COO) of the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU), answers six frequently-asked questions about issues facing financial cooperatives.

Marguerite Robinson on scale & sustainability in savings

Marguerite S. Robinson answers 4 frequently-asked questions about how commercial MFIs can mobilize voluntary savings from the poor on a large scale - and still remain profitable.

Stuart Rutherford on savings and the poor

Stuart Rutherford, author of "The Poor and Their Money," answers 5 common questions asked about savings and the poor.