Microfinance: Meeting Needs With More Than Just Loans

The vast majority of the world's poor lack access to formal financial services. Faced with small incomes and little or no support from banks or other financial institutions, individuals struggle to save enough money to have a significant impact on their lives.

For more than four decades, the microfinance sector has provided small loans to help support the self-help efforts of micro-entrepreneurs. While these loans are powerful tools, when taken alone, they are not nearly enough to help the poor climb out of poverty.

Microfinance clients need other services, such as a safe place to save money, access to health services, financial education and other tools to help them make meaningful and sustainable progress out of poverty. As the digital and mobile landscapes continue to evolve, the microfinance sector is poised to innovate and serve more clients with a wider range of tools and services than ever before.

How are microfinance organizations serving their clients with an appropriate mix of services that help them escape poverty for good? How can disruptive technologies like mobile banking assist in this mission? What advances have we seen in this field and what challenges lie on the horizon?

The panel of speakers includes Alex Counts, President and CEO, Grameen Foundation, Steve Hollingworth, President, Freedom from Hunger, and Mary Ellen Iskenderian, President and CEO, Women's World Banking.

Maya Chorengel, Co-Founder, Elevar Equity, will moderate the discussion.

For more information about this event please visit: http://www.worldaffairs.org/events/event/1392