Read this thoughtful essay after you read Kim Wilson's post with the similar name. Really....
Rigor for the Rest of Us
Oh my. It gets a little heated here about research methodology.
Buddhist Financial Services »
Finally, Buddhist financial services would be inextricably linked to and supportive of all parts of a good life, including protection of the physical environment...
What's Good for Them is Good for Me and Vice Versa
You do not have to be poor to be in need of good financial services.
The Judo of Change
...the multiplication of so many little neighborhood clubs, whether or not their groupiness holds over time, does bring about the transformational change originally sought by the community. People are less isolated, happier, whole...
Don’t you tell me how to spend my money: Why simple savings trumps collective investment »
The attraction of using savings groups as the foundation for a cooperative business is no mystery. Unfortunate, that.
The savings group sector has the opportunity to avoid the growing pains of microcredit - the hype, the promulgation of unrepresentative and unattributable results, the focus on financial performance to the detriment of social performance, the upmarket drift. Will we seize that opportunity?
The Microcredit Meme
Are we carrying the microcredit meme, or is it carrying us? What keeps it going?
Childhood Dreams
Maybe adults are a lost cause.
We all have a theory of change and usually it is a theory we hold about others, not about ourselves.
The Birthday Officer
The group’s birthday officer, Lidia spoke confidently about her role in the group telling me, I never learned to read and write, but I have an excellent memory. I never forget a birthday.
Who keeps the money safe? You decide.
How do we keep records? You decide. How does a new person join? You decide. What if somebody leaves? You decide. What do we do with the money? You decide,
Hot issue, and great discussion!
By using her savings to secure her credit union loans, she gained the maximum possible utility from them....
Tea with Money
Imagine a savings group that won’t allow people over forty years old to join. Think this unfair?
Nicholas Kristof mentions us...
Mabel Guevara, Part I: Convincing the Skeptics
I started talking to my neighbors and family .... We all had our own goals: one woman planned to save for Christmas dinner, another wanted to buy a new bed cover, and the children wanted new clothes. It was among family and friends, so we didn’t make loans.
April Fools – Hey, why aren’t we laughing?
What does it say about the reputation of banks that, despite the millions of dollars they have spent in brand advertising, some of the smartest people I know fall for a ridiculous April Fool's post?
The Sour Spot
...it seems to me that medium size institutions, are in the unfortunate situation of being too large to rely on member involvement, and too small to rely on professional management....
A recent study in Kenya showed the strongest growth among savings groups in urban and peri-urban areas.