Rafiq Maqbool/AP
India’s microlending programs, meant to help poor women get out of poverty, have become another point of caste discrimination
Muhammad Yunus, founder of the Grameen Bank. The micro credit revolution he started has not been a panacea for poverty.
EPA/Ulrich Perrey
Microcredit, which was viewed as a perfect market-affirming solution to poverty in developing countries, has collapsed. In 30 years it’s gone from Zorro to Zombie.
Small business owners, such as this vendor in Cape Town, need access to affordable micro loans.
Reuters/Mike Hutchings
A strong case needs to be made for the survival of community-based financial organisations. While not perfect, the sense of ownership is high.