There are still many challenges relating to microfinance one being transparency: What local actors are the MFI working with? What activities are being done by the MFI? What is it offering entrepreneurs in terms of services and cost of capital? How are the services delivered? What are the social performance of the loans and its results?

I find business models using microfinance infrastructure really interesting. Microfinance organizations that have established brands and high quality relationships with local entrepreneurs in remote markets have an interesting possibility to leverage these relationships as a platform for developing and distributing various products and services. One example is Grameen Shakti in Bangladesh, that leverages the brand and infrastructure of Grameen Bank's nationwide microfinance program. It was created in 1996 to reach rural people with clean and affordable energy in a country where 80% of the people still do not have access to electricity. The revenue model is often based on several shopkeepers sharing one system, with the electricity enabling new business opportunities. By 2002 Grameen Shakti reached break-even and by 2008 it had installed more than 180000 solar home systems, installing more than 8000 new ones each month.

Anders, The Business Model Database

There are still many challenges relating to microfinance one being transparency: What local actors are the MFI working with? What activities are being done by the MFI? What is it offering entrepreneurs in terms of services and cost of capital? How are the services delivered? What are the social performance of the loans and its results?

I find business models using microfinance infrastructure really interesting. Microfinance organizations that have established brands and high quality relationships with local entrepreneurs in remote markets have an interesting possibility to leverage these relationships as a platform for developing and distributing various products and services. One example is Grameen Shakti in Bangladesh, that leverages the brand and infrastructure of Grameen Bank's nationwide microfinance program. It was created in 1996 to reach rural people with clean and affordable energy in a country where 80% of the people still do not have access to electricity. The revenue model is often based on several shopkeepers sharing one system, with the electricity enabling new business opportunities. By 2002 Grameen Shakti reached break-even and by 2008 it had installed more than 180000 solar home systems, installing more than 8000 new ones each month.

Anders, The Business Model Database

my last volunteer stint was a couple of weeks ago at the yosemite facelift in yosemite national park. i helped clean up around the historic camp 4, the base of half dome, and a few other places in the valley. together, we volunteers removed over 60,000 POUNDS of trash from the park over the course of 5 days. it was hot, sweaty work but well worth it. as a climber, it means a lot to me to help preserve one of the most beautiful and unique climbing areas in the world. the yosemite facelift is an annual event and i will be sure to go again next year.

i also won a new rope at one of the facelift raffles. =)

~pang

my last volunteer stint was a couple of weeks ago at the yosemite facelift in yosemite national park. i helped clean up around the historic camp 4, the base of half dome, and a few other places in the valley. together, we volunteers removed over 60,000 POUNDS of trash from the park over the course of 5 days. it was hot, sweaty work but well worth it. as a climber, it means a lot to me to help preserve one of the most beautiful and unique climbing areas in the world. the yosemite facelift is an annual event and i will be sure to go again next year.

i also won a new rope at one of the facelift raffles. =)

~pang