Blog

The FinDev Gateway Blog features interviews and blog posts from financial inclusion practitioners around the world. In this community space, we share lessons learned, new ideas, and upcoming research from the field.

Does Digital Transformation Mean Turning Your Employees Into Robots?

By FinDev Gateway
April 2019
Grzegorz Galusek

Grzegorz Galusek, Executive Director of the Microfinance Centre, discusses digitalization, agile working and what we can look forward to from this year's annual conference.

Photo credit: Solaris Offgrid
Blog

How PAYGo Solar Companies Can Shine for Investors

The pay-as-you-go (PAYGo) solar industry has attracted a lot of interest among impact investors. But complex business models and a lack of reporting standards may be putting off large-scale investment. PAYGo PERFORM says it is time to change that and standardize financial reporting in this sector.
By Nicky Khaki, Daphne Pit & Miguel Soriano
April 2019
Repayment in Kasosi, Kenya. Photo by Hailey Tucker, One Acre Fund.
Blog

Why Smallholder Finance Isn’t Getting the Investment It Needs

By overlooking investment opportunities in smallholder finance in favor of serving less risky client segments that are easier to reach, investors are missing out on one of the greatest impact opportunities in financial inclusion today. What can financial service providers and investors do about it?
By Mike Warmington & Peter Harlock
April 2019

MOST READ

Tailor and microentrepreneur in Ghana. Photo by Kristin Weidner, 2017 CGAP Photo Contest.
Blog

First, Do No Harm

As the microfinance sector has matured, client protection principles have been introduced around issues such as interest rates and product transparency, fair pricing and appropriate product design. But where do gender-based risks fit into these principles?
By Bobbi Gray
November 2018
Woman at microfinance group meeting in rural Orissa, India. Photo by Souradeep Ghosh, 2016 CGAP Photo Contest.
Blog

Want To Stay in Business? Keep Your Loan Officers Happy

Loan officers are in a critical position to influence clients’ experience with access to credit and their engagement with an MFI. Yet they are often under intense pressure to meet targets, and many do not receive the support they need to do their job well. Here are six steps for improving working conditions for microfinance field staff.
By Nupur Maroti
March 2019
Leather dyeing in Morocco. Photo by Ihab Fayad, 2017 CGAP Photo Contest.
Blog

Top Ten Blog Posts of 2018

In 2018, FinDev Gateway published more blog posts than ever before, thanks to so many of our partner organizations and contributing community members. So which ones did you read the most?
By Abby Augusta
January 2019
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Repayment in Kasosi, Kenya. Photo by Hailey Tucker, One Acre Fund.
Blog

Why Smallholder Finance Isn’t Getting the Investment It Needs

By overlooking investment opportunities in smallholder finance in favor of serving less risky client segments that are easier to reach, investors are missing out on one of the greatest impact opportunities in financial inclusion today. What can financial service providers and investors do about it?
By Mike Warmington & Peter Harlock
April 2019
Photo credit: Solaris Offgrid
Blog

How PAYGo Solar Companies Can Shine for Investors

The pay-as-you-go (PAYGo) solar industry has attracted a lot of interest among impact investors. But complex business models and a lack of reporting standards may be putting off large-scale investment. PAYGo PERFORM says it is time to change that and standardize financial reporting in this sector.
By Nicky Khaki, Daphne Pit & Miguel Soriano
April 2019
Grzegorz Galusek
Interview

Does Digital Transformation Mean Turning Your Employees Into Robots?

Grzegorz Galusek, Executive Director of the Microfinance Centre, discusses digitalization, agile working and what we can look forward to from this year's annual conference.
By FinDev Gateway
April 2019
Photo by Adam Yussif, 2017 CGAP Photo Contest.
Interview

Why Do Practitioners Value FinEquity?

In honor of International Women’s Day, FinDev Gateway features FinEquity (formerly known as the Women’s Financial Inclusion Community of Practice), a special corner of FinDev where practitioners working to increase women’s financial inclusion can share ideas, resources and lessons learned. Uloma Ogba of UNCDF tells us what she values about this community of practice.
By FinEquity
March 2019
Photo credit: The Global LPG Partnership
Blog

Making Clean Cooking Affordable

Following the FinDev Gateway webinar on financing for clean cooking, GLPGP discusses how innovative consumer finance approaches can help facilitate access to clean cooking in developing countries.
By Meixi Gan & Richenda Van Leeuwen
March 2019
Photo credit: Aflatoun International
Blog

Learn. Save. Earn. Why Do We Celebrate Global Money Week & Aflatoun Day?

Children around the world need to start early to become good money managers. Global Money Week aims to inspire children and young people to learn about money matters, livelihoods and entrepreneurship.
By Roeland Monasch
March 2019