Mainstreaming Microfinance: How lending to the poor began, grew, and came of age in Bolivia

by Elisabeth Rhyne

* Tells the success story of how microfinance in Latin America lifted whole populations into the financial mainstream* Offers a non-technical, in-depth analysis of the microlending debateSome people tout microfinance as the most important tool now available for fighting poverty while still others doubt its contribution to the "truly" poor. This volume offers a reasoned, moderate voice on the virtues and problems of microfinance. Drawing on the success story of Bolivia, Rhyne traces the transformation of NGOs into formal financial institutions, and examines microfinance under the conditions of commercialization and competition that have altered the dynamics of the new industry.Using participant interviews, Beth Rhyne details how Bolivia 's special breed of social entrepreneurs found the keys to unlock the huge unmet demand of informal clients. She explores how these social activists shaped the character of the institutions that now dominate Bolivia 's microfinance sector, and traces how these institutions proved that lending to microenterprises could become a commercial business. Rhyne investigates the transformation of NGOs into formal financial institutions, led by the creation of BancoSol, and closely examines microfinance under the conditions of commercialization and competition that have altered the dynamics of the new industry.

272 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2001

Reviews

[Alejandro Zuluaga · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is essential to understand how Bolivia Became a laboratory for all types of microfinance projects. In essence microfinance is lending to the poor while providing plans that will allow them to be able to repay and grow economically. In this book you will learn about the history of Microfinance and how it started in Bangladesh, the multiple projects Launched by different NGOs in Bolivia, how they advocated the empowerememnt of women, the problems they have encontered since the beggining, the grow and success of Banco Sol, of ProMujer, the history of other NGOs still present in Bolivia, and more... Although it may get a little technical, and a good mathematics/economics background may help, this book shows the beauty of Microfinance and how it bacame mainstream in Bolivia