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Scaling Up in Microfinance - Issues and Challenges
Scaling Up in Microfinance - Issues and Challenges
Volume 6
Issue 1
March 2005
From the Editor's desk
The first quarter of 2005 has been very eventful for the microfinance sector. For
the first time, the terms microfinance and micro-insurance found mention in
the national Budget presented in Parliament on February 28, 2005.
Though the Budget fulfils the long-standing demand of the sector for recognition,
it also lays huge responsibility on institutions engaged in reaching financial
services to economically disadvantaged communities. While responding to
the Budget in spirit, the sector needs to increase its outreach and services so
that every individual in the country is able to access the services and break
the poverty cycle. There is clearly a lot of distance to cover, but the Budget
provides us an opportunity to engage in that extra effort.
This brings us to the theme of this edition, that of scaling up of microfinance
services and the issues and challenges within. Three articles specifically talk
about the subject. L B Prakash, speaks of the challenges facing the scaling up
of the SHG movement in the country and gives us indications as to how they
can be met. Praseeda Kunam's case study on the Hyderabad-based
Swayam Krishi Sangam elaborates on how an organisation should deal with
the challenges on the operational and strategic front while Ricardo P Lirio
analyses the issues and challenges in scaling up of microfinance practice in
the Philippines.
It is now unanimously agreed that microfinance institutions need an enabling
Contents
regulatory environment to operate and grow. The perspective of two central
bankers, Amaro Luiz de Oliveira Gomes and Cleofas Salviano Junior, throw
light on the financial system regulation and services to low-income populations
Scaling up issues in SMFIs
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in Brazil.
A success story called SKS
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Donors continue to play an important role and it is in this context that Kurt
Vogele and Ajit Kanitkar speak of the experience of the Swiss Agency for
Financial System Regulation and
Development Co-operation in India.
Financial Services to Low Income
Populations in Brazil
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In this issue we also present the summary of proceedings of the annual policy
conference organised by Sa-Dhan in January in collaboration with SIDBI.
The Issues and challenges of
microfinance practice in the
I am also happy to inform you that this newsletter, in its revamped, visually
Philippines
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and reader-friendly incarnation as Sa-Dhan Patrika, will now come to you at
quarterly intervals. We will of course continue in our endeavour to present
Donors perspective on providing
relevant issues, with a sharp eye on the quality of content and debate.
capital to MFIs
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We look forward to your feedback and contribution in making the Patrika a
Summary of proceedings of SIDBI
platform to take the microfinance movement forward.
Sa-Dhan Annual Policy
Conference 2005
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Mathew Titus
Published by Sa-Dhan Microfinance Resource Centre
12 & 13, 2nd Floor Special Institutional Area, Shaheed Jeet Singh Marg, New Delhi 110067
For private circulation only
