Microfinance for Bankers and Investors: Understanding the Opportunities and Challenges of the Market at the Bottom of the Pyramid

by Elisabeth Rhyne

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What promise did Sequoia Capitalrecognize in SKS microfinance (India)that it had also seen in Apple, Oracle, andGoogle?

Why would Vodafone help distributemoney via cell phones for millionsof Kenyans?

How did a Mexican retailer createa financial-services empire, Banco Azteca, that would serve eight million borrowers infive years?"

From its origins as a nonprofit povertyalleviation strategy, microfinance has becomea viable business model for providing financialservices to the poor in ways that allow forboth social responsibility and profit, even inthe midst of economic turmoil.

Longtime microfinance expert ElisabethRhyne and her team guide readers throughthe landscape of financial-inclusion opportunities, providing lessons from companiesaround the world that are leading the wayin earning profits while addressing globalpoverty.

"Microfinance for Bankers and Investors" reveals: Changes in the market allowingfor increased private investmentin microfinanceNew technologies and deliverychannels that reduce costs forsmall transactionsProven ways to overcome the uniquechallenges of serving customersat the bottom of the pyramidInnovative products for grassrootsfinance, such as mobile phonebanking and microinsuranceThe extraordinary social value andbusiness sustainability of microfinance

"Microfinance for Bankers and Investors" breaksnew ground by showing how microfinanceattracts top organizations to engage indouble and triple bottom-line businessactivities. With deep insight and clear vision, it examines the unique opportunities andchallenges of providing financial services forlow-income people.

Inclusive finance gives companies the prospectof aligning social values with long-termbusiness strategies. "Microfinance for Bankersand Investors" offers the facts and insights youneed to enter this fast-growing market withconfidence.

Genres: Finance

356 pages, Hardcover

First published May 18, 2009

Reviews

[E · Rating 5 out of 5]

Smart look at microfinance: where the double bottom line adds up

Microlending isn’t just a feel-good concept, writes Elisabeth Rhyne in this thorough study of the microfinance industry. It’s also an untapped source of both profits and social progress. A veteran of the microfinance field, Rhyne persuasively argues that making loans of a few hundred dollars can be a viable business model. While she’s a proponent of microlending, Rhyne doesn’t ignore the business’s risks and pitfalls. Instead, she serves up detailed advice for analyzing the market and avoiding failures. Rhyne deftly sprinkles real-world examples of borrowers and lenders into her study. getAbstract recommends her book to entrepreneurs seeking opportunities to make money from – and extend a hand to – the globe’s billions of poor people.

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