Microcredit

Microloans are small loans that are issued by individuals rather than banks or credit unions. These loans can be issued by a single individual or aggregated across a number of individuals who each contribute a portion of the total amount.

THE GOOD: Empower women to support themselves and families?  Helps daughters remain in school?  May limit child marriage & overpopulation?  Supports small farming (by men and women).

THE BAD:  High interest rates.  Debt traps.  Strengthen patriarchy if women repay men.

THE UNSURE: Microcredit helps micro savings?  Enables microfinance services?  Builds community savvy?  

Positive views from microcredit NGOs: Discussion at www.microcreditsummit.org/what-is-microfinance.html or from individual webpages

Microcredit Websites:

Finca: http://www.finca.org
Kiva: http://www.kiva.org
Oiko: https://www.oikocredit.ca
Promujer: https://promujer.org

Critical views appear on blogs http://blog.microfinancetransparency.com/ or opinions https://opinionator.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/01/31/when-microcredit-wont-do/