Micro-credit and micro-finance: functional and conceptual differences

Financing micro-entrepreneurs for poverty alleviation: a performance analysis of microfinance services offered by BRAC, ASA, and Proshika from Bangladesh

“…In the past 25 years, microfinance service has been considered as one of the most significant innovations in development policy around the world (Ahlin and Jiang 2008;Elahi and Rahman 2006). Microfinance service offers not only the microcredit but also the allied services such as consulting and training for the microenterprises as well as market information and access to wider market which is very often not in reach of micro-entrepreneurs due to their lack of knowledge and bureaucratic hurdles.…”

Solidarity economy and recycling co-ops in São Paulo: micro-credit to alleviate poverty

“…Our experience differs from the widely known micro-credit schemes (Anthony 2005;Mahmud 2003;Qudrat and Rahman 2006;Rahman 1999), since the money is not lent to individuals but rather to an organised group as a way to overcome a crucial short-term obstacle. Here micro-credit is a tool to facilitate collective commercialisation.…”

“…It involves the organisation of recycling groups to voice their goals. Micro-credit empowers these citizens, as described by Qudrat and Rahman (2006), through inclusive decision-making processes. Our experience has shown that a participatory approach can successfully build responsible, autonomous, micro-credit initiatives.…”

Impact of Microfinance and Remittances on the Livelihood of Nepali People

“…savings, credit and insurance, as well as social services, e.g. empowem1ent, advocacy, training and solidarity (Qudrat and Rahman 2006;Ledgerwood 1999;Robinson 2002). Microfinance helps poor households and conmmnity through strengthening social tmity, providing loans, increasing group transparency, and empowerment, especially of women.…”

“…These terminologies are very close but maintain some differences. Microfinance is a development approach which provides financial services (i.e., savings, credit and insurance) as well as social services (i.e., empowemlent, advocacy, training, and solidarity) (Qudrat and Rahman 2006;Ledgerwood 1999;Robinson 2002). Microfinance helps the poor by building social solidmity, providing loans, increasing transparency within groups, mld providing a feeling of psychological empowerment.…”