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  Topic Overview
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   Added: 25 March 2003
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  KO Overview
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   Added: 22 May 2003
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Non-banking services    
        

It is widely recognised that poor clients need more than finance to break out of conditions of poverty. Thus an ideal situation would see rural households receiving a coordinated combination of services to improve their health, nutrition, family planning, education, business activities and so on. Many development organisations that have moved into the provision of microfinance, do also provide other services. However, the need to cover costs and remain financially viable raises questions about whether or not non-banking services can be provided on a sustainable basis. Despite this there are a number of successful "credit with education" models, which use the group-based approach to microfinance as an opportunity to provide low-cost education services to clients. There has also been a growing interest in providing business development services as a commercial enterprise in recent years and experience and innovations have been increasing in this field.

  
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TitleBuilding Better Lives
Creator/PublisherMicrocredit Summit Campaign
Content Language(s)Arabic; Spanish; French; English
Type of MultimediaView online
DescriptionThis video (running time 28 minutes) features two microfinance organisations in Bolivia - CRECER and PRO MUJER - who both offer non-banking services in addition to their credit and savings operations. CRECER operates in rural areas and use a unified approach, i.e., their staff conduct banking operations and also provide health and business training. They travel long distances to meet their clients in small groups and have to carry their all materials with them. The staff have to be well trained and highly committed.

Pro Mujer operates in urban areas. The population density enables them to take a parallel approach. They set up focal centres where their clients can meet and employ specialist staff to provide health and business training while others conduct the banking. They go as far as actually providing health services at some of the centres and can also provide individual business advice. Pro Mujer need outside funding to cover 50% of the cost of these non-banking activities. CRECER, on the other hand, cover their costs from the income generated by their financial services.

The film gives an excellent insight into working in remote rural areas and the important role that organizations like CRECER can play in improving peoples' lives. The film can be ordered in both video tape and DVD format from Microcredit Summit Campaign.

KeywordsMICROFINANCE; CREDIT; ADULT EDUCATION
CountryBOLIVIA
Date of Production2002
System RequirementsRealPlayer
Download
Order by PostMicrocredit Summit Campaign Orders, c/o RESULTS Educational Fund, 440 First St. NW Suite 460, Washington DC, 20001, USA
PriceDollar (US) 15.00
Additional LinksMicrocredit Summit Campaign
  
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