Check below for an interesting new report from the field on microfinance’s impact, one of the harder components of microfinance to fully determine. As the DMLI tries to gauge our own impact through our Investment Fund it is important to note what has already been done in this area:
“Women’s Enterprise Development in Eritrea through Microfinance”
The ICFAI University Journal of Entrepreneurship and Development, Vol. 5, No. 3, pp. 41-58, September 2008
Full Text: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1292115
ABSTRACT: Women play a key role in economic growth and
development, yet they are still discriminated against in economic
life. Eritrea has extreme poverty and more than 66 percent of
people live below poverty line. Eventually, the number of poor
households in the country is high. Many are women-headed
households, whose husbands died during the conflicts or who are
now serving in the National Service. Women-headed households are
particularly vulnerable. The Savings and Micro Credit Program
(SMCP) provides major microfinance to women entrepreneurs. A
small group of women and men were interviewed to ascertain their
successes and problems with micro credit and enterprise
development. This paper delves how the women benefited from the
microfinance program and got rid of their poverty. An attempt is
made to explore and analyse various other institutions that
provide microfinance to the women and other beneficiaries. The
paper concludes that the women entrepreneurs are considerably
supported and benefited by the microfinance program
