Insurance in conformity with Islamic law has existed for hundreds of years. Now its comeback could help Southeast Asia better deal with natural disasters and catastrophes.
Without the proper business skills, microcredit can become a debt trap. Scojo Foundation director Graham Macmillan talks about how microfranchising addresses some of the problems with micocredit.
Not everyone has the entrepreneurial skills to lift themselves out of poverty with a small loan. Microfranchising provides an alternative by helping poor people profit from proven business models without repeating the mistakes of others.
A small Indian NGO has turned the microfinance model around. Instead of giving poor people money to start a business, it provides them with in-kind loans to help them make their own money. A case study.
Entrepreneurs in developing countries need capital to grow. But what about people so disadvantaged that they cannot build a business on their own? In-kind lending fills the gap.
Financial tools for the poor have been around for centuries. Academics, activists, and businessmen are now trying to reactivate traditional knowledge - without the nasty drawbacks.
