Financial Education Support the Social Entrepreneurs of Asia-Pacific: PlaNet Finance Experience

This presentation focuses on the need to provide financial education to women micro entrepreneurs. It:

• Highlights the role of microfinance in poverty alleviation and women's empowerment;
• Discusses the assets and barriers that women have as micro entrepreneurs;
• Stresses that women are strategic agents of social change;
• Explains why women need technical knowledge and financial education to run their businesses.

The presentation states that a specific training program for women would help them to:

• Define and develop a feasible business according to their needs;
• Conduct research on a suitable market for their business;
• Make effective use of local materials and resources;
• Choose the best one among the various financial choices offered to them.

The presentation explains how:

• Financial education can improve microfinance clients' entrepreneurial skills;
• Women entrepreneurs can obtain financial education through a microfinance program that would offer them:
  • Access to credit;
  • Closeness;
  • Confidence;
  • Regularity.

The presentation provides information on:

• Adult learning principles and practices;
• Advantages of loan group meetings;
• MFIs in various Asian countries that have cost-effectively reached women entrepreneurs.

It presentation concludes by:

• Explaining the general mission and activities of PlaNet Finance;
• Briefing the activities of PlaNet Finance's Training and Technical Support Department in imparting financial education to women microentrepreneurs;
• Detailing the methodologies used by this department.