All Publications
An Introduction to the Small Firm Diaries
The Small Firm Diaries is a global research initiative to better understand small firms in low-income neighborhoods of developing countries, especially the barriers to growth such firms face, through high frequency quantitative and qualitative data collection (“financial diaries”).
The Promises of Digital Bank Accounts for Low-Income Individuals
This study tests the extent to which the promises of digital modes of payment, increased efficiency of transactions, increased financial inclusion, and improvements in the financial well-being of low-income individuals, are fulfilled.
Solidarity in Saving: Listening to Women's Needs During Crises
Based on 3,822 (majority women) VSLA member interviews, this brief represents quantitative data from Burundi, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Mali, Niger, and Vietnam.
A Technical Guide to Unlock Agent Networks at the Last Mile
This guide outlines five key actions for digital financial service providers, regulators, and funders to expand rural Cash-In and Cash-Out agent networks based on CGAP's global experience.
Women Agents for Financial Inclusion: Exploring the Benefits, Constraints, and Potential Solutions
This working paper explores the benefits of having more women agents, the challenges they face, and potential solutions to promote their participation in the DFS ecosystem.
Child Labor, Rainfall Shocks, and Financial Inclusion: Evidence From Rural Households
This paper explores how rural Colombian households respond to rainfall shocks by shifting children's time from school to domestic activities, with the impact on education mitigated or exacerbated by financial inclusion measures.
Driving Financial Resilience Through Formal Savings Among the Low-Income Population
Based on customer research in Cote d’Ivoire, Kenya, Morocco, Nigeria, and Uganda, this paper provides a synthesis of findings that help understand to what extent savings allowed customers to increase their financial resilience.
Colombia's Ingreso Solidario: Improving Social Protection Through Public-Private Collaboration and Responsible Digital Payment Practices as Part of COVID-19 Emergency Response
This case study illustrates how designing programs responsibly can result in greater trust in digital financial services, leading to greater volumes of digital transactions, and increased use of digital savings and e-commerce services.
Social and Solidarity Economy: Social Innovation Catalyst in Africa?
The report highlights internal and external factors impacting social and solidarity economy organizations in their social innovation process and presents a set of policy recommendations to unlock their potential.
Banking in Layers: Five Cases to Illustrate How the Market Structure for Financial Services is Evolving
Exploring the market-level modularization of financial services through case studies featuring new models that are emerging, how they are coming about, and what they mean for the financial inclusion of low-income people in emerging markets and developing economies.