Paper
Credit Makes Good Business Sense for Poor Women
Is investing in poor women an effective strategy against poverty?
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The authors state that women in Pakistan are disadvantaged as their access to health and educational opportunities is limited, particularly in the rural areas. To address the needs of women, Khushali Bank (KB), which is the largest provider of microfinance loans in Pakistan, adopts women oriented policies. Some of the characteristics of its microfinance program are:
- No collateral on loans;
- Doorstep delivery of financial services;
- Eligibility for larger loans on timely repayments.
The focus of KB on women also reflects in its human resource policies:
- Continuous effort to recruit women at senior management levels;
- Constant strive to improve the female sales force;
- Periodic refreshers and training workshops for women to improve their microfinancial skills.
