Daily diaries: Reimagining how we generate insights to optimize cash-in, cash-out (CICO) agents
The blog discusses the Agent Diaries approach, a research method that tracks the financial transactions of different types of CICO agents over time. It highlights the data gaps, challenges, and insights related to the agency business. It also compares the traditional and technology-driven ways of data collection and their cost-effectiveness.
Aug 18, 2023
Micro and small enterprises: Will the pandemic put an end to their business?
This blog looks at the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on micro and small enterprises (MSEs) across low- and middle-income countries, which are particularly vulnerable to shocks. Our research insights will help policymakers and financial institutions support the recovery and rebuilding of the MSME sector in the wake of the disease.
Apr 15, 2020
Nitish Narain, Abhishek Anand, Surbhi Sood and Shobhit Mishra
Micro-entrepreneurs and occupational hazards: Why do poor people settle for low-return employment?
In this blog, we highlight why the poor wish to engage in unskilled labor and petty trade by studying the records of respondents from low-income households in a “financial diary” research project in central Bangladesh.
Aug 26, 2019
How the poor borrow
This is the third in a series of short articles about the findings of a daily ‘financial diary’ research project. A description of the project can be found on its website.
Sep 29, 2018
Long Hours for Low Pay in the ‘Formal’ Economy: the Lives of Bangladesh’s Garment Workers
From July 2016 to August 2017 Microfinance Opportunities (MFO) conducted the Garment Worker Diaries project in three countries—Bangladesh, Cambodia, and India. This blog highlights what MFO found through its research.
Apr 2, 2018
Low Income Lives – Education
In the first edition of MicroSave’s ‘Low-Income Lives’, Stuart Rutherford looks at education, using data from the Hrishipara Daily Financial Diaries project which records the flow of money from households in Bangladesh.
Feb 23, 2018
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