MicroLead partners are sharing what they've learned as part of the project. Check out their case studies by clicking the links below.

Agriculture

Agriculture Value Chain Finance in Myanmar: This paper highlights the problems related to agricultural finance in Myanmar and proposes a solution that will benefit everyone in the agriculture value chain, from farmers to regulating institutions, improving their role in the chain.

Savings

Group Savings from Theory to Practice. From Uganda's UGAFODE, a case study on savings linkages via UGAFODE's GroupSave product, and the challenges and opportunities.

Protecting Savings Groups Reached Through High-Tech Channels: Guidance from the New Client Protection Principles for a Digital Savings Product. This case study, utilizing an experience from Freedom from Hunger’s Bridge to Financial Inclusion project based in Burkina Faso, aims to highlight experiences of integrating client protection principles – the minimum standards microfinance clients should expect – into the initial design and roll-out of a digital savings product designed for savings groups.

Pafupi Savings: Expanding Financial Inclusion to Rural Women - Women’s World Banking and NBS Bank in Malawi. This case explores the introduction of the tailored savings account, Pafupi Savings, designed to expand access for low-income and unbanked people in rural areas, especially women. Pafupi Savings relies on agency banking, mobile technology and community-based marketing to reach rural women where they are.

Maximizing the Impact of Spontaneous U-SACCO Savings Group Linkages: In this case study from Rwanda, learn how the U-SACCOs linked to savings groups, increasing access to financial services in rural areas and building a stronger financial foundation for the U-SACCOs.

Expanding Access to Savings-led Financial Services in Ethiopia: Two private Ethiopian MFIs, Wasasa and Buusaa Gonofaa, received funding and technical assistance via the UNCDF’s MicroLead programme to expand savings mobilization. This case study explores the challenges and opportunities of using technology to mobilize savings in rural areas.

Savings Mobilization in Myanmar: This paper focuses on the opportunities and challenges of mobilizing savings deposits in Myanmar. The purpose of the paper is to answer the following questions: 1) Which FSPs mobilize the highest volume of savings and why? 2) What are the inhibitors of mobilizing savings in Myanmar? and 3) In particular, what are the implications of the 15-percent regulated floor on deposits for microfinance institutions?

Experiences of Savings and Credit Cooperative Members: The Asian Confederation of Credit Unions (ACCU) is one of UNCDF's three MicroLead partners in Myanmar, having kickstarted and supported the growth and capacity-enhancement of 33 Savings and Credit Cooperatives in the country. This publication shares some of the more intimate stories and transformational experiences of the cooperative members in Ayeyarwady and Bago regions.

The Franchisee Model for Savings groups: CARE Tanzania and Mwanga Community Bank in Tanzania utilized a franchisee model for building linkages with informal savings groups. This case study reviews lessons learned from this unique method.

Human Centered Design

Client Journey Mapping - Case Study of Sinapi Aba: Through UNCDF’s MicroLead programme, Opportunity International and Sinapi Aba Savings and Loans in Ghana tested a dynamic approach to understanding and improving the client experience: client journey mapping.

Taking Human Centered Design from Theory to Practice: The human-centered design lessons from UGAFODE's AirSave product, an agent-based mobile savings product.

Institutional Change

Converting from an MFI to a Savings and Loan - Sinapi Aba, Ghana: This case study documents the transformation of an NGO-MFI into a commercial entity while maintaining its original mission: transforming the lives of economically disadvantaged people.

Credit Union Revitalization in Liberia: Learn how WOCCU and four regional credit unions rebuilt community trust and expanded access to finance by leveraging mobile money, old-fashioned brick-and-mortar expansion, and savings groups.

Fostering Savings and Credit Cooperatives in Myanmar: This paper showcases the successful Asia-wide ACCU model of creating savings-led financial cooperatives and how SCCs can function in Myanmar as an alternative to the traditional Myanmar cooperative movement.

Microfinance

Microfinance for Poverty Alleviation in Myanmar: In Myanmar the microfinance sector has developed rapidly since the government enacted a Microfinance Law in November 2011, but MFIs still play a very minor role in the provision of financial services in the country. The overall level of financial inclusion remains very low, with only 30% of adults using regulated financial services. The rural usage of financial services (53%) exceeds the urban usage (45%), which is a reversal of the normal global pattern.

ASA Microfinance Myanmar: This paper showcases the Association for Social Advancement (ASA) model which has achieved much success in fostering the development of strong financial habits throughout Asia, applying a standardised microfinance model.

Watch this space! More case studies are coming soon!