In this video series-1 Roberto Zegada, Regional Manager El Alto, Banco Los Andes ProCredit (Bolivia) talks about the growth of operations and the competitive situation in one of the world’s best-served microfinance markets. The ProCredit Group is one of the global microfinance leaders. With operations on three continents, the group is the largest international network player in terms of assets. The Bolivian branch was one of the pioneers of the network.
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E/M-Banking Booklet : Volume II
The E/M-Banking Booklet – Volume II is the sixth publication under the Optimising Performance and Efficiency (OPE) Series. The OPE Series brings together key insights and ideas on specific topics, with clear objective of providing microfinance practitioners with practical and actionable advice.
There is growing consensus that e-banking offers a unique opportunity to address mainstream banks’ two major barriers to serving the low-income market: the need for a branch infrastructure and managing high volumes of low value transactions. The potential of e-banking to significantly extend the reach of financial institutions into rural areas, without investing in “bricks and mortar” branches, is widely acknowledged.
For several years now, MicroSave has been closely involved with several e- and m-banking initiatives in Africa and Asia, in particular working on the “soft side” of e/m-banking where the technology interfaces with the customer.
This compendium offers guidance on a wide range of opportunities, issues and challenges for e/m-banking.
Interbank Mobile Payment System: Will It Catalyse Financial Inclusion?
IMPS or the interbank mobile payment system is a service offered by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI). The IMPS provides a platform for account holders of participating banks to transfer money to any other account holder in the network. The only prerequisite is a mobile handset. Currently eight banks (representing about half of the bank accounts in India) are participating in the network while six others are under IMPS certification. The present regulations provide ample scope for banks and financial institutions to explore ways of reaching out to the un- and under-banked. Cooperation and coordination will be required to take advantage of the potential of these technological solutions and to create the type of inter-operable solutions that will lead to massive uptake and financial inclusion.
Individual Lending Booklet
The Individual Lending Booklet is the fifth publication under the Optimising Performance and Efficiency (OPE) Series. The OPE Series brings together key insights and ideas on specific topics, with clear objective of providing microfinance practitioners with practical and actionable advice.
Most MFIs have started to realise the importance of introducing individual lending, however because it requires a paradigm shift many MFIs struggle to initiate IL programmes. Thus individual lending is in its infancy in many markets worldwide, and institutions are still learning to cope with the challenges and risks of operationalising this product. Some significant issues in introducing individual lending are: increased information asymmetry; absence of group-based guarantees; comparatively higher-value loans; and the resulting higher credit risk. Individual lending requires different processes and systems such as: sophisticated and flexible MIS to gather and analyse client information; and highly skilled staff with ability to conduct detailed due-diligence (to assess the market, management, suppliers, customers of the business to be financed) and prepare realistic cash flow analyses and assess collateral.
This booklet brings together a set of brief publications which extract key lessons from MicroSave’s rich expertise and experience, combining these with the views and opinions of leading practitioners.
Microfinance in a Dynamic Market: Financiera CREAR Peru Part 2
In this video series-2 Marcos Corrales, manager of Financiera CREAR’s Lima regional branch (Peru) shares the company’s goal to achieve high productivity. Sharing his experience, Marcos says to achieve high productivity CREAR managers focus on various areas starting from staff selection, proper and extensive trainin, and incentive based income structure for the bank staff. He further discusses CREAR’s various financial products designed to meet the requirements of specific target groups such as a loan product for single working woman.
Microfinance in a Dynamic Market: Financiera CREAR Peru Part 1
In this video series-1 Marcos Corrales, manager of Financiera CREAR’s Lima regional branch (Peru), talks about the success factors that contributed to the strong growth and performance of their lending activities. Peru is one of the most dynamic microfinance markets in the world. Marcos, who heads seven branches, tells that they started as an NGO 12 years back and have converted to for- profit venture. CREAR serves the micro-credit sector basically the micro-entrepreneurs. He further informs about loan products in their portfolio for various purposes such as for working capital, home loan etc.