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Realising the potential of microfinance
Microfinance is a key strategy in reaching the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and in building global financial systems that meet needs of most poor people. Although microfinance has demonstrated the potential to reduce poverty, its impacts have varied. Perhaps as a result of these inconsistencies, few donors have prioritised microfinance in their strategies to achieve the MDGs.
What is a Microfinance Institution (MFI)?
Quite simply, a microfinance institution is an organization that offers financial services to low income populations. Almost all of these offer microcredit and only take back small amounts of savings from their own borrowers, not from the general public. Within the microfinance industry, the term microfinance institution has come to refer to a wide range of organizations dedicated to providing these services: NGOs, credit unions, cooperatives, private commercial banks and non-bank financial institutions (some that have transformed from NGOs into regulated institutions) and parts of state-owned banks, for example.
What is a Microfinance Institution (MFI)?
Quite simply, a microfinance institution is an organization that offers financial services to low income populations. Almost all of these offer microcredit and only take back small amounts of savings from their own borrowers, not from the general public. Within the microfinance industry, the term microfinance institution has come to refer to a wide range of organizations dedicated to providing these services: NGOs, credit unions, cooperatives, private commercial banks and non-bank financial institutions (some that have transformed from NGOs into regulated institutions) and parts of state-owned banks, for example.
Why do MFIs charge such high interest rates to poor people? FAQ
Providing financial services to poor people is quite expensive, especially in relation to the size of the transactions involved. This is one of the most important reasons why banks don't make small loans. A $100 dollar loan, for example, requires the same personnel and resources as a $2,000 one thus increasing per unit transaction costs. Loan officers must visit the client's home or place of work, evaluate creditworthiness on the basis of interviews with the client's family and references, and in many cases, follow through with visits to reinforce the repayment culture. It can easily cost US$25 to make a microloan. While that might not seem unreasonable in absolute terms, it might represent 25% of the value of the loan amount, and force the institution to charge a “high” rate of interest to cover its cost of loan administration.

Other microfinance institution Related Articles

HOW TO APPROACH YOUR BANKER
When starting a business, most people think of borrowing money from a financial institution – a chartered bank, a caisse populaire or a credit union. Here are the steps that should be taken when approaching your financial institution for a loan.
Who are the clients of microfinance? FAQ
The typical microfinance clients are low-income persons that do not have access to formal financial institutions. Microfinance clients are typically self-employed, often household-based entrepreneurs. In rural areas, they are usually small farmers and others who are engaged in small income-generating activities such as food processing and petty trade. In urban areas, microfinance activities are more diverse and include shopkeepers, service providers, artisans, street vendors, etc. Microfinance clients are poor and vulnerable non-poor who have a relatively stable source of income.
What is a Microfinance Institution (MFI)?
Quite simply, a microfinance institution is an organization that offers financial services to low income populations. Almost all of these offer microcredit and only take back small amounts of savings from their own borrowers, not from the general public. Within the microfinance industry, the term microfinance institution has come to refer to a wide range of organizations dedicated to providing these services: NGOs, credit unions, cooperatives, private commercial banks and non-bank financial institutions (some that have transformed from NGOs into regulated institutions) and parts of state-owned banks, for example.
Realising the potential of microfinance
Microfinance is a key strategy in reaching the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) and in building global financial systems that meet needs of most poor people. Although microfinance has demonstrated the potential to reduce poverty, its impacts have varied. Perhaps as a result of these inconsistencies, few donors have prioritised microfinance in their strategies to achieve the MDGs.
Redefining Microfinance as a Strategy to Achieve the MDGs: International Year of Microcredit Report Advocates Shift from Poverty Alleviation to Wealth Creation
With microfinance gaining attention for its vital role in eradicating poverty, the International Year of Microcredit recently released a report, "Microfinance and the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs): A Reader's Guide to the Millennium Project and Other UN Documents", to provide further background and support for microfinance initiatives.
Kinnevik Invests $14m in African Microfinance Institution Bayport Financial Services
Investment AB Kinnevik, a Stockholm-based international investment firm, announced that it has invested USD 14 million in the African microfinance institution (MFI) Bayport Financial Services. The financing is provided as a combination of debt and equity.
Inhibitors to Success
At its core, microfinance is not terribly different from mainstream consumer finance. From accessing funding to managing the disbursement and collection of funds, microfinance operates like any consumer finance business. But because microfinance serves a very different client segment – the world’s poor – we cannot ignore the different set of challenges these clients face and the implications these challenges have on the organizations serving them.
Fonkoze - Educating Individuals to Become Self Sustaining
Fonkoze, Haiti’s largest microfinance institution, is another good example of integrating microfinance with other services such as medical treatment, remittances, empowerment, insurance against risk and natural disasters, health insurance, and in particular, education to help improve clients’ situations and contribute to the overall economy.
Compassion International Invests USD 5 Million in Opportunity International to Develop Microfinance in Africa
Compassion International, one of the world’s largest Christian child development organizations, will invest USD 5 million over the next five years in fellow Christian microfinance institution (MFI) Opportunity International. With this funding Opportunity International will expand its microfinance operations in Ghana, Kenya and Rwanda, offering microloans, savings accounts, insurance and business training to the families of Compassion-sponsored children and other community members.
South African Microfinance Institution (MFI) Blue Financial Services and Nigeria’s Intercontinental Bank to Launch $25.9m Microfinance Bank
Blue Financial Services (BFS), a South African microfinance institution (MFI), and Intercontinental Bank Plc, Nigeria’s largest commercial and retail bank by assets, are collaborating to launch a Nigerian microfinance bank capitalized at NGN 3 billion (USD 25.9 million), the largest such institution in the country.
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