Week of March 18, 2011

Here’s what we’ve been reading over the past two weeks! Feel free to add any that you think are missing via comments.

•    More evidence for the link between microfinance and health. 

•    An overview of econometric approaches to measuring the impact of microfinanceand FAI’s Jonathan Morduch’s response to the paper.

•    David Roodman also reminds us that there is no clear evidence that microfinance reduces poverty and references a paper co-authored with FAI’s Morduch.

•    Timothy Ogden on the downside of microfinance’s focus on women and girls.

•    Elisabeth Rhyne at CFI-ACCION on 3 microfinance industry efforts to raise standards.

•    13 key institutions in microfinance industry sign open letter supporting Muhammad Yunus. 

•    David Roodman offers 5 angles on the Grameen/Yunus microfinance scandal that the media haven't covered.

•    National India microfinance law might nullify repressive Andhra Pradesh one.

•    Good overview of what’s happening in Indian microfinance from the Indian Development Blog.

•    How do the poor get by in Malawi? 5 million data points from new financial diaries.

•    Measuring cross-indebtedness - new evidence from Latin America.

•    Half of Americans Lack Financial Safety Net.

•    Playspent asks: Can you make it through a month, tapped out and unemployed? Try it, you’ll be surprised by the results.

•    Even economists can be fashionistas. Portfolios of the Poor co-author Daryl Collins profiled in Elle magazine.