Lendwithcare's Microfinance Advisor Teresa Hall has been visiting our microfinance partner in Zimbabwe, Thrive Microfinance. While there, she has had the opportunity to meet with Lendwithcare entrepreneurs, and to learn more about how the current economic situation has been affecting their lives and businesses: "I have been in Zimbabwe visiting our microfinance partner Thrive. I have had the opportunity to meet and speak with women entrepreneurs supported by Lendwithcare.
This blog was written by Dr Ajaz Ahmed Khan, Senior Microfinance Advisor
at Lendwithcare, CARE International UK. It was first published in theTrue
Banking online magazine, and has been reproduced here with their
permission.
Lendwithcare helps people work their way out of poverty. The online platform allows users to make microloans (as small as £15) to those in some of the poorest parts of the world, who invest in building their businesses and improving their lives. We caught up with Tracey Horner, the woman behind the project, to find out more…
Not only has Lender of the Week Neville Wright made an incredible 1,192 Lendwithcare loans in just over 2 years, but until the 15th May he is also generously using any profits from his recent book launch to further support Lendwithcare. Amazing support! We got in touch to ask how and why he first started supporting Lendwithcare entrepreneurs.
Together with a colleague, Professor Malcolm Harper, I have just spent the past 18 months researching and editing a book on Islamic microfinancei - which is defined as Shari'ah compliant financial services for poor people. The volume examines the experiences of 15 Islamic microfinance institutions (IMFIs) from 11 countries in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Eastern Europe. The institutions ranged from relatively small non-governmental organisations with a few hundred borrowers to large commercial institutions, such as the Islami Bank in Bangladesh which has almost one million clients. The book focuses specficially on the operating methodologies they employ, the challenges they face and their levels of financially self-sustainability. For a full description of the analysis and conclusions, I would of course, urge readers to buy the book as soon as it is published. However, I can share a few of the interesting findings.
In February 2017 I was lucky enough to visit our microfinance partner in Pakistan, Akhuwat. Please read my series of blogs to share my experience and insights into this inspiring organisation. If you are interested in reading more about Islamic microfinance, my colleague Dr Ajaz Ahmed Khan and renowned microfinance experience Dr Malcolm Harper will soon publish a book on Islamic microfinance, which contains a chapter on Akhuwat.
In February 2017 I was lucky enough to visit our microfinance partner in Pakistan, Akhuwat. Please read my series of blogs to share my experience and insights into this inspiring organisation.
The borrowers at the Khana Nou branch are also funded by Lendwithcare lenders. During my visit I observed many people either making a repayment on their loan or submitting a new loan application.