In spite of decades of attempts to reduce poverty through government programmes
and international aid, it is estimated that there are still more than 350 million
people in India living under the international poverty line.
What is the IntelleCash Microfinance Network Programme?
IntelleCash is the first initiative in India to apply the principles of business franchising to the microfinance sector through provision of a standardized microfinance
solutions package, suitably customized to meet the contextual needs of our network
partners.
In doing so, we provide microfinance entrepreneurs with the skills, experience and guidance they need to ensure that their venture is a success from day one.
The IntelleCash network partners enjoy the support of the following partners in the IntelleCash project. Each are leaders in the sector, and have been instrumental in shaping the IntelleCash programme.
Click below to see three mini-documentaries on the impact of IntelleCash on our
network partners.
All interviews were conducted with staff from Aajeevika, Intellecash
network partner, North West Delhi, in 2008.
Aajeevika has been operating in the impoverished relocation slums of North Delhi for more than three years.
Its goal has been to reach out to some of the most disadvantaged women in the community, providing them with access to credit to support their families through entrepreneurship.
In spite of decades of attempts to reduce poverty through government programmes and international aid, it is estimated that there are still more than 350 million people in India living under the international poverty line.
1
Sa-Dhan ‘Financial Requirements for Future Growth of the Microfinance Industry’ 2006
Microfinance is an attempt to break this deadlock, by providing the poor with the financial means to engage in new forms of economic activity, and so improve their lives.
Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), give the poor access to credit at rates that are in line with costs and in a convenient manner, allowing them to diversify their sources of income, and so raise their standard of living.
Microfinance is also unique in that it can be operated on a for-profit business model, allowing for sustained growth and expansion.
The success of the microfinance system in both improving the lives of the poor, and in providing a viable business model, has been acknowledged around the world. In 2007, Muhammed Yunus, the founder of Bangladesh’s Grameen Bank, was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for his pioneering work in the sector.
