Blog posts
Displaying all posts from 2010
December 17, 2010
Microinsurance 101: How do poor people deal with risk?
If you're interested in microfinance, but don't necessarily want to learn about graphs, econometric equations and statistical techniques then you have come to the right place. Kiva and FAI are partnering to bring you "101" blog posts that explain the core principles of microfinance.
December 16, 2010
Vikram Akula's story in 140 characters or less
December 15, 2010
Chapter-by-chapter review of "A Fistful of Rice" by Vikram Akula
December 14, 2010
New evidence on group vs. individual liability
Many believe that group liability in microcredit improves repayment rates through peer screening, monitoring, and enforcement. But when Dean Karlan and Xavier Giné set out to test this hypothesis, they found no increase in default with individual liability.
December 10, 2010
Microsavings 101: How do people save when they earn so little?
If you're interested in microfinance, but don't necessarily want to learn about graphs, econometric equations and statistical techniques then you have come to the right place.
December 8, 2010
What about financial access in the U.S.?
At FAI, we spend most of our time thinking about financial access overseas. Yet, increasingly, we can’t ignore the conversation happening right here in the U.S.
December 6, 2010
Explaining insurance: how to do it?
This is a guest post from Aparna Dalal, independent consultant and former FAI Director of Special Projects.
Congratulations to FAI lead researcher Sendhil Mullainathan who was named one of Foreign Policy magazine's "Top 100 Global Thinkers". He was named to the list for his work bringing behavioral economics down from the proverbial ivory tower.
November 30, 2010
Does Capitalism Need Social Business?
What do Jack the Ripper, the shortage of affordable housing, and cataracts have in common? They are all problems that can and have been addressed by social finance. Jonathan Morduch recently shared his wisdom on the subject during the Chief Economist Talk series at the World Bank.
November 30, 2010
Help microfinance, don't kill it
In a recent Indian Express op-ed, leading microfinance experts (including our own Dean Karlan) weighed in on the developing microfinance crisis in Andhra Pradesh. The crisis, sparked by a spate of suicides by microfinance customers, in response to alleged harassment by microfinance loan collectors and extremely high interest rates, now threatens the viability of the entire microfinance sector not only in AP, but in India as a whole.