Great reading this week—a new paper from Jonathan Conning and Jonathan Morduch, an interview with Jane Wales of the Global Philanthropy Forum, an op-ed debate between Professor Bhagwati and The Sunday Guardian's Zafar Sobhan, and more. Add any important links we missed via comments.
- "Microfinance & Social Investment" is a new report by Morduch and Conning that examines age old debates in the sector and more;
- New study of mobile money business case from CGAP;
- “The Ouster of Muhammad Yunus: Can Politics Destroy Grameen Bank?” from Knowledge @Wharton;
- Risk vs. Return for MFIs;
- "I on Poverty" by Jonathan Lewis on the MFI Finca Peru;
- Jane Wales Of Global Philanthropy Forum On The State Of Philanthropy Today;
- New blog from World Bank economists on impact evaluation has some interesting stuff on migration, microfinance, and more;
- Poor still benefit when microcredit reaps megaprofits from The Australian;
- Yunus court drama not over, more to come on May 2nd;and
- “The Real Truth Behind Yunus’ Grameen Story” from Prof. Jagdish Bhagwati and a rebuttal from The Sunday Guardian’s Zafar Sobhan.
Editors’ Note: Hi, Laura and Jonathan here. A few of the pieces this week come from people who spent years up close with how poor households actually handle money, and keep coming back with something more tangled than the story usually told, and more persistent. Tim will be back for the next edition. - Laura Freschi and Jonathan Morduch