The New World of Microenterprise Finance: Building Healthy Financial Institutions for the Poor (Kumarian Press Library of Management for Development) [Paperback]

Maria Otero (Editor), Elisabeth Rhyne (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1994 | ISBN-10: 1565490304 | ISBN-13: 978-1565490307

* Deals with microfinance in Asia, Africa, and Latin America
* Outlines successful programs such as: the Bank Rakyat Indonesia (BRI); BancoSol in Bolivia; the Association of Solidarity Groups in Colombia; and the Kenya Rural Enterprise Program

Otero and Rhyne introduce an innovative direction for microenterprise finance arguing that one can create viable and self-sustaining financial intermediaries that will give the poor greater access to financial services.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Reviews some of the most innovative work currently under way." -- Douglas H. Graham, Ohio State University

About the Author

Maria Otero is one of the world’s leading voices on sustainable microfinance. She serves on the advisory board of the Clinton Global Initiative and has a long resume of senior staff and board positions in international organizations concerned with poverty and finance. She currently is president and CEO of ACCION International, a leading global microfinance institution that works to open the financial systems in developing countries to reach the poor.

Elisabeth Rhyne is the Managing Director of the Center for Financial Inclusion. As senior vice president of ACCION International since 2000, Ms. Rhyne was responsible for ACCION’s initial entry into Africa and India. She directed the organization’s research efforts to develop new financial products and managed ACCION’s publications and educational activities. Recognized as a leading thinker and writer in the field of microfinance, Ms. Rhyne has published numerous articles and four books on the topic, including Mainstreaming Microfinance: How Lending to the Poor Began, Grew and Came of Age in Bolivia (Kumarian Press, 2001). She was also co-editor of The New World of Microenterprise Finance (Kumarian, 1994), which provided the introduction to microfinance for many of the field’s current professionals.

Product Details

• Paperback: 318 pages
• Publisher: Kumarian Press (March 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1565490304
• ISBN-13: 978-1565490307
• Product Dimensions: 8.8 x 6 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,886,771 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

22 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars You Must Read This Book!, December 21, 1999

By 

Ahmed Rahim (New York, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The New World of Microenterprise Finance: Building Healthy Financial Institutions for the Poor (Kumarian Press Library of Management for Development) (Paperback)

Otero and Rhyne have done an admirable job of documenting recent advances in the field of microfinance. They combine a succinct and accessible writing style with lively case studies to (a) challenge pre-existing economic notions regarding microfinance, (b) present a model for evaluating microfinance programs, (c) discuss the legal environment for microfinance programs, and, (d) elaborate on alternative program design and delivery mechanisms to effectively reach poor clients. I found the case studies very helpful. Both laymen and specialists will benefit from the balanced, informed and painstaking research that has gone into writing this book. A must-read for development enthusiasts in general and microfinance fanatics in particular!