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December 7, 2012
India’s microfinance sector shows signs of recovery, set up for more consolidation
According to the ‘State of the Sector Report 2012’, the microfinance sector of the country is on the rise again, as even the SKS Microfinance company sees better days and profits. Read the details here. According to experts of the sector, the sector could see a further consolidation of MFIs. […]
December 7, 2012
India: ‘Evil’ moneylenders back with a vengeance
Microfinance has been termed many things in the span of a few years in India. It has been encouraged, eradicated, supported and then again discouraged. This post talks about how MFIs have been targeted, and in places like Andhra Pradesh, the vacuum left by them has ushered in a new […]
December 7, 2012
Microfinance a growing attraction for private equity firms
This post describes the take of Xavier Pierluca, chief investment officer at Bamboo Finance, a private equity firm with interests in the microfinance sector. Pierluca goes on to explain why the microfinance sector is generating interest in the private equity firms of the world. Read more here.
December 7, 2012
Microfinance for women: good, but not enough
According to a study conducted on the women of about 128 countries to assess the global barriers that exist for women entering the mainstream workforce of the national economy, while microfinance is the source of capital for women with an entrepreneurial bend of mind and looking to lift themselves out […]
December 7, 2012
Bamboo Finance acquires controlling stake in Accion Microfinance Fund
Bamboo Finance, the private equity firm that focuses on microfinance and social enterprise initiatives and investments has recently acquired a majority interest in Accion Investments in Microfinance, a fund that makes investments in microfinance institutions in emerging markets. Read more here.
December 7, 2012
Role of microfinance in helping the poor save
This is the second in a two part post that examines the role of microfinance in the saving patterns of the poor. It lists a number of interesting facts about saving patterns which are helpful as the author notes that there is limited material on saving patterns enabled by microfinance […]
December 7, 2012
Do Caste and Social Interactions Affect Risk Attitudes and Adoption of Microinsurance? Evidence from Rainfall Insurance Adoption in Gujarat, India
This paper by the ILO (International Labour Organization) examines the role of social attitudes in forming risk factors and determining participation decisions, using microdata from households in rural Gujarat, India. Read the report here.
December 7, 2012
The Demand for Microinsurance: A Literature Review
This paper examines why the adoption and renewal rates for microinsurance policies are low despite the potential protection that the schemes provide for the low income population in the developing world. Read the report here.
December 7, 2012
Microfinance, Poverty and Education
This study uses a randomized trial to access the efficacy of a microcredit programme in Bosnia. The select group given out loans consisted of people considered too risky by the well known, established MFIs. The study led to a number of insights, into how no increase in profits or household […]
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06 Key Lessons for informing policy decisions: Mainstreaming tribal-specific climate adaptive capacities in vulnerable coastal regions within National Action Plan on Climate Change
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Four Key Lessons for Policy Consideration: Scaling Climate Adaptive Capacities among Small and Marginal Farming Communities in the Sundarbans
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Five Key Lessons for Policy Consideration: Scaling Climate Action Programs for Landless Rural Communities in Semi-Arid Ganges-Brahmaputra Basin in South Asia
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View Blog Posts
GST 2.0 and Tax Cuts: Can They Make Growth Fairer and Greener?
India's latest GST reform, being termed as GST 2.0, is more than just slashing rates. By simplifying the tax structure, cutting levies on essentials, and supporting renewable infrastructure, it's open..
Reimagining Sports in CSR: From Tokenism to a Vehicle for Multiplying Impact
In 2023–24, Indian companies spent about ₹1,396 crore of their CSR budgets on sports — just 4% of the total ₹34,909 crore Indian corporates spent on CSR that year. Most of the rest went to edu..
Interactive SHG Map of India: 7.5 million Women Self Help Groups are spread across 27 States and 6 UTs in India
Under the National Rural Livelihood Mission (NRLM), India has 7.5 million Women Self Help Groups (SHGs) spread across 27 states and 6 Union Territories. Each of these small, self-governed, and peer-co..