Increasing the capacity of financial institutions to provide low-balance savings accounts and reach low-income clients in developing countries with technology-driven products has become an important objective for financial inclusion practitioners.

To support this objective, in 2009, UNCDF, in partnership with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, initiated a flagship $27 million global microfinance programme. It's goal was to provide loans and grants on a competitive basis to microfinance institutions, commercial banks and financial cooperatives based in developing countries and pursuing a savings-based approach to expand operations to underserved markets. Savings, rather than credit, allow poor people to build a safety net to help them weather shocks and climb out of poverty. Savings by women leads to their empowerment, keeping kids in school, and better health outcomes.

You can view and download the MIcroLead project documents below.