The Challenge

Mexico has been at the epicenter of microfinance news since the initial public offering (IPO) of Mexican microfinance institution (MFI) Banco Compartamos in 2007. One of the first of its kind, Compartamos put Mexico’s microfinance industry on the map. However, while Compartamos has enjoyed positive notoriety and Mexico on a global platform is considered an “advanced middle-income country” (World Bank, 2007), more than 14 million Mexicans continue to live in conditions described as extreme poverty by Secretary of Social Development, Beatriz Zavala Peniche in the fall of 2007. Mexico maintains steady economic performance, but poverty rates remain high, as does income inequality. Even though its 2002 to 2005 poverty-reduction trends were encouraging—particularly rural poverty—Mexico is still focused on reducing urban poverty and improving its social programs to provide better coverage for the working poor.


The Entrepreneur and the Solution

The Finsol group is focused on just this: providing financial services to the working poor as a means of working out of poverty. A microfinance institute in Mexico, Finsol is unique in that they don’t just provide micro-credit, they intend to be a one-stop-shop for their clients. Innovating the way that financial products and services are marketed to the working poor, Finsol is committed to offering a broad range of loan products including life insurance and remittances, savings, housing improvement loans, and other financial products. The sky is the limit for Finsol. Through innovative technology, Finsol is introducing new products across geographies in more efficient ways than ever before. Already exporting products and technologies developed and tested in Mexico to other partners in key markets throughout Latin America, they see opportunities for remittances and micro-insurance abroad and plan to continue reaching hard-to-access regions through wireless technology.

Edgardo Salomón Barredo, Director General of Finsol has more than 30 years of experience in international banking and stands out as someone who brings a rare combination of commercial and development expertise to microfinance. Edgardo is passionate about microenterprise as a proven and effective means to promote economic and social development. Highly professional in his approach, he demonstrates a unique vision of the microfinance industry and its potential. His vision has attracted some of the industry’s top performers to Finsol. A growing organization, Finsol has aggressive plans for its business and for its clients for whose potential is limitless with its support.

 
The X-Interview

Edgardo Salomón shares with Global X his secret to success:

1. "Capital is always available for good projects. The main problem is talent."

2. "There is no success without scale, and that's why networking is so important and that's where Unitus can help us."

3.  Don't rely on consultants!

The Challenge

There are an estimated 3.5 million people living under the national poverty line in Buenos Aires.  Only two percent of them have access to financial services. The economic crisis of the late 90’s left Argentina suffering the world’s largest debt default in history and massive currency devaluation. What had been a snowball of poverty and unemployment turned into an avalanche as more than half of Argentines fell below the official poverty line. The hardest struck were the middle class and urban poor, previously classified as middle-income.


The Entrepreneur and the Solution

One of the first of its kind in Argentina, FIS was established in 1999 to provide financial services to the working middle class and urban poor. Founded and led by Julian Costabile, FIS’s mission is to bring urgently needed microfinance to millions of Argentines lacking access to financial services. In contrast to Asian and African microfinance markets, there is still a significant need to educate Argentineans about the benefits of microfinance. The lack of a micro-entrepreneurial tradition in Argentina and widespread distrust in the financial system has been a barrier to its growth. However, it is FIS’s belief that through microfinance, business and the pursuit of social benefit can be combined.

Their goal, to empower poor micro-entrepreneurs to improve their own lives, has begun to gain traction.  Today, FIS operates three branches throughout greater Buenos Aires, serving approximately 5,000 clients to date. It is currently the largest microfinance institution in Argentina, and has plans to expand its operations beyond Buenos Aires to the rest of the country.

Beyond traditional microfinance, FIS also offers untraditional loan products that provide other means for financial security. For example, to relieve families from the monthly costs of lighting and electricity (i.e. in the rural region of Boquerón, monthly expenditures for candles, kerosene or gas is estimated at $20 USD a month), FIS provides clients loans to purchase solar panels. Once the loan has been repaid, families can then reallocate monthly expenditures for education, health, or other important services.

FIS is also the administrator of a Social Investment Fund through which channels private and institutional investment funds to finance its loan portfolio. This was the first fund in Argentina to offers its investors both financial returns and social impact.

“Our team in Argentina is focused on empowering thousands of poor micro-entrepreneurs to improve their own lives," said FIS co-founder Julian Costabile. "We're excited about the impact microfinance will make in poor areas of Buenos Aires."

Julian Costabile is one of three senior leaders at FIS and combines a social vision with more than eight years of finance expertise at PriceWaterhouseCoopers. A founding member of the Argentine Network of Microfinance Institutions, Julian is a leading stakeholder and advocate for microfinance in Latin American, participating in numerous forums and seminars on microfinance throughout the region. 


The X-Interview

Watch Julian Costabile as he shares with Global X why Unitus is a crucial element to the success of his microfinance institution, and listen to his advice to fellow social entrepreneurs: "Find a couple of mentors or advisors compatible with your mission who have 20 or 30 years more of experience and who can help you go through the entrepreneurial phase in a better way."

The Challenge

Nearly two thirds of India’s more than 1 billion people live in rural areas, and almost 170 million of them are poor. Although urbanization is on the rise, three out of four of India’s poor live in the vast rural regions of the country. For more than 21 percent of the population, poverty is a chronic condition.  A major cause of poverty among rural communities is a lack of access to productive assets and financial resources. High levels of illiteracy, inadequate health care, and extremely limited access to social services only aggravate the situation.

Swadhaar is a new microfinance institution (MFI) which operates primarily in the urban slums of Mumbai – largely regarded as one of the most difficult areas to alleviate poverty. According to the 2001 Indian Census, 54.1% of Mumbai’s residents live in Mumbai’s slums, generally without even basic amenities such as running water or indoor plumbing. Until very recently, urban microfinance was thought to be impossible -- especially in Mumbai, regarded as one of the most complex markets due to its client base.


The Entrepreneur and the Solution

Swadhaar is changing all of that. Headquartered in Mumbai, Swadhaar opened its doors for business in March 2006 and already serves 2,500 individuals.  Swadhaar is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to assist the poor in building their own capacity in breaking out of poverty through access to financial services. Swadhaar provides an average loan of $85 USD and enjoys high repayment rates.

“We formed Swadhaar to bring opportunity and hope to the hardworking poor people of Mumbai trapped in poverty. A strategic partnership with Unitus and microfinance expertise from ACCION will move us much closer to our goal of providing financial services to 195,000 clients by 2011,” says Urmee Mehta Mankar, Swadhaar. “Historically, the urban poor have been chronically underserved by microfinance institutions in India – Swadhaar is hoping to change that.”

Swadhaar commenced operations in March 2006. In the next fiscal year (through March 2007), Swadhaar hopes to open two more branches. By the end of 2011, Swadhaar has the visionary plan of reaching 195,000 clients with access to microfinance services. Unitus is excited to partner with Swadhaar as they enter into the field of microfinance. Even as a recent start-up, Swadhaar already boasts an impressive pilot project history, a strong management information system and the willingness to invest in the technology and professional expertise that will make their institution a success.


The X-Interview

Global X interviews Urmee Mehta Mankar, who works with Swadhaar in Mumbai. Even though this microfinance institution is quite young (it was launched only two years ago), there is lot to be learned from this interview: why she loves Unitus, why she thinks that you should "get out into the field and learn about the market reality," and why a 12-year old boy who was selling tissue paper boxes at a Mumbai intersection became her mascot.

The Challenge

Karnataka is one of India’s largest states, home to Bangalore, India’s third most populous city.  The dichotomy of urban slums and extreme rural communities illustrate the depth of poverty throughout Karnataka.


The Entrepreneur and the Solution

MokshaYug Access (MYA) is employing innovative business models and its experience in large-scale infrastructure projects to expand the reach of microfinance throughout Karnataka.  MYA aims to establish poverty-free villages by leveraging the financial resources and innovation of the private sector, the knowledge and commitment of non-governmental organizations, and the vast outreach of the public sector. 

Launched in 2006, MYA has expanded across Karnataka to reach the poorest communities and intends to reach 5.3 million rural poor by 2012. While MYA’s mission is broad and looks to achieve poverty alleviation and access to financial services across India, the organization is currently focused on just three districts in Northern Karnataka. Through a laser sharp focus on a few distinct districts, MYA intends on successful expansion into new products and services to further support existing clients in Karnataka to empower them to improve their lives.

MYA currently serves nearly 25,000 clients. It provides an array of services including savings, loans, and insurance services in rural areas of Karnataka. In addition to life and health insurance, MYA offers livestock and goat insurance to marginalized farmers, helping ensure they don’t lose critical income should an animal become ill. MYA has also generated additional economic opportunity for local entrepreneurs, most recently working with India’s leading incense maker to aggregate and supply raw materials at lower rates – increasing its clients’ profits by 60 percent. Additionally, MYA is building a comprehensive supply chain model and will franchise it throughout India to provide rural households with additional products and services.   

Harsha Moily, CEO of MYA holds multiple degrees in Business and Management and has a background in agribusiness and venture capital. He is a young and dynamic entrepreneur who combines a discipline in business with experience in infrastructure sectors such as hydrocarbon, power, healthcare and telecom to provide solutions to poverty alleviation. Determined to make a difference in his home state of Northern Karnataka, Moily shifted his career from the world of international corporate finance to address economic development at home. He brings commercial experience and genuine enthusiasm to the fight against poverty in India.


The X-Interview

While in the Philippines, Global X interviewed Harsha Moily and asked him why he is doing what he is doing. His response: "I can't be a spectator to what's happening India. I need to be a player."

The Challenge
While India is one of the fastest growing economies in the world, poverty runs deep throughout country. About two thirds of India’s more than 1 billion people live in rural areas, and almost 170 million of them are poor. Although urban migration continues, three out of four of India’s poor live in rural areas of the country where poverty is a chronic condition especially among the scheduled castes and tribe communities. 

One major cause of poverty in India is lack of access to productive assets and financial resources. Women are generally the most disadvantaged people in Indian society, though their status varies significantly according to their social and ethnic backgrounds. Women are particularly vulnerable to the spread of HIV/AIDS from urban to rural areas.


The Entrepreneur and the Solution

Bandhan is a microfinance institution which provides services in microfinance, micro-entrepreneurship, health, education, and disaster management to India’s working poor. The organization focuses primarily on providing financial services to women, a critical step in breaking the cycle of poverty. It is led by Chandra Shekhar Ghosh, who has more than 20 years experience in microfinance and development. Building on his experiences with BRAC, CARE International, and other non-governmental organizations, Ghosh believes that microfinance institutions play an important role in addressing poverty. Speaking to a group of students in India, Ghosh reminds them that, “everyone must be persistent in becoming effective agents of change.”

Born out of a meeting of conscientious minds with a desire for the common good, Bandhan means togetherness.  It was formed with a vision of creating an equal and just society, by alleviating poverty and empowering women.

Founded in 2000, Bandhan currently serves more than 800,000 people, growing more than 300 percent last year alone. Bandhan operates primarily in Rural West Bengal, which is largely considered to have some of the poorest communities in India.  Providing Bengali-speaking staff and services targeting the working poor in Bengal has been an important point of differentiation for Bandhan.

The unpredictable climate – heavy, destructive rains – and the often tense political climate make life extremely difficult for rural Bengalis as their income sources are often affected. An average client earns less than $46 USD a month and is able to use loan capital to expand their small businesses and work their way out of poverty. The average loan size is approximately $82 USD. Bandan has aggressive growth plans and hopes to reach 1 million members by March 2009.

Bandhan recently received recognition in Forbes Magazine “The 50 Top Microfinance Institutions” ranking. The first of its kind, Bandhan ranked #3 for its efficiency and impact. With Ghosh’s leadership and focus on highly standardized systems, the organization has expanded with increasing efficiency.  Through their systems and cost control, Bandhan has been successful at lowering rates for clients, allowing them to access the financial services with greater ease. 

Bandhan has been an industry-leader in this regard and regional microfinance institutes continue to look to Bandhan for leadership and best practice.


The X-Interview

Be sure to watch the short X-Interview of CS Ghosh in which he tells Global X why he launched Bandhan and shares advice to fellow social entrepreneurs. Three words: “Focus, focus, focus!”