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 India, there is still a huge unmet demand for microfinance services. According to a recent sectorwide survey, current microfinance provision serves less than 5% of the potential demand, estimated to be at around US$30 billion annually.
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Sa-Dhan ‘Financial Requirements for Future Growth of the Microfinance Industry’ 2006
The potential for professionally managed, efficient MFIs to thrive is therefore huge.
Nevertheless, many new start-up and independent MFIs are still struggling to succeed.
Many lack the experience required to navigate regulatory requirements and staff recruitment and training. Others struggle to identify appropriate banking software, or are unable to access funding. Those that do survive have often done so through an inefficient process of trial and error.
IntelleCash offers a way out of this deadlock. By availing a standardized microfinance solutions package, our entrepreneurs are able to operate efficiently and professionally from the outset, and so achieve much higher rates of growth.
