Small Customers, Big Market: Commercial Banks in Microfinance

Book Details

Copublished by ITDG Publishing, London and TERI, New Delhi, this book shows commercial bankers that they can profitably provide microfinance services to the poor. It illustrates, through the experience of particular banks, why banks have become involved and how they have made a success of their involvement.

The eighteen case studies, from all parts of the world, show that banks can earn good profits at the same time as serving the needs of people who previously lacked access to financial services.

The authors also demonstrate to foreign aid donors, policymakers, NGO staff and microfinance practitioners that it is often quicker, less expensive and more effective for microfinance services to be provided by commercial banks than by specialist microfinance institutions.

Table of Contents

 Why should commercial banks be interested in microfinance?

 The Microbanking Division of Bank Rakyat Indonesia: a flagship of rural microfinance in Asia

 Mainstreaming Grameen banking in the Philippines

The Bank of Khyber, Pakistan

 Wholesale microfinance:
Sonali Bank, Bangladesh

 Microfinance through self-help groups –
case study of Bank of India; Canara Bank, Alanganallur branch, Madurai district, Tamil Nadu, India; Oriental Bank of Commerce’s microfinance project, India  ICICI Bank, India

 Microfinance at Banque du Caire, Egypt

 Strategic partnerships in microfinance:
the case of the Commercial Bank of Zimbabwe

 Equity Building Society’market-led approach to microfinance in Kenya

 FINADEV SA:
the first commercial bank for microfinance in Benin

 Banco Solidario, Ecuador

 Bancaf