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The key to lending to women microentrepreneurs
01.06.1995
Micro-lending institutions, whether they are open to all microentrepreneurs or specialize in lending to women, are able to reach a large number of women if they establish simple premises and procedures, and train their staff to be accessible and friendly. This article describes the measures adopted by 12 leading micro-lending institutions to attract women borrowers. It also describes the moves by such institutions to increase their loan coverage and savings mobilization by strengthening linkages with the formal financial sector. The challenge is to reap the benefits of scaling-up, without compromising on the unbureaucratic approaches found to work in attracting women microentrepreneurs.