This policy brief stresses the key challenges faced by SMEs on the continent and analyzes how these challenges are likely to be exacerbated by COVID-19.

This study assesses the impact of COVID-19 on the demand for financial services through agents and agent operations. It seeks to understand the ability of agents to support government assistance programs.

The awards support innovative COVID-19 response and recovery efforts related to savings groups, in the areas of women’s livelihoods, voice and leadership, violence against women, digital savings groups and more.

A roundup of the most relevant coronavirus-related news, resources and events from the past two weeks

Women's World Banking partnered with a major public sector bank in India to see what effect the government's COVID-19 payments had on women's account activity. 

The government previously allocated NGN 2.3 trillion (USD 6 billion) to pandemic relief efforts, including microfinance and other programs.

The National Cash Transfer Company piloted the Door to Door Payment method as a response to the new challenging context and a preventive measure for coronavirus-related risks.

The Recovery and Advancement of Informal Sector Employment project will help about 175,000 poor urban youths and low-income microentrepreneurs enhance employability and productivity.

The loan aims to help the bank increase lending for climate-friendly projects and to smaller businesses, especially those owned by women.

2020 was a historic year that demonstrated the resilience of the microfinance sector. Maxime Borgogno of Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation shares why most MFIs they surveyed remain optimistic about the future.