Microlending…Enabling Global Entrepreneurship - A blog by Courtney Zegarski
Microlending…Enabling Global Entrepreneurship - A blog by Courtney Zegarski
Summary
The 3BL Media blog roll is a select list of the most influential, respected, and authoritative voices in corporate social responsibility. Compiled from the 3BL Media staff’s extensive contacts with longtime CSR commentators, these bloggers offer relevant news, opinions, and ideas about all things CSR in one convenient place.
NEWSROOM: 3BL Blogs
CONTENT: Blog
Recent economic times have spurred uncertain thoughts and reactions around terms like “lending” or “investments.” However, there is an emerging loan market that is working toward making a positive, significant impact on the lives of the impoverished globally. The market that I am referring to is the “microlending” market. Recent reports have estimated that there are more than 30 million microloans worldwide and at a growing rate of 30-40% per year.
So, why are so many individuals participating in microlending…
It has been estimated in developing countries that 50% or more of individuals are self-employed. However, there is a substantial disparity between the number of self-employed individuals and those who have access to bank loans. This lack of access to proper funding creates major barriers for micro-business owners in developing nations. Therefore, there is a great need to help self-employed individuals establish and maintain sustainable businesses.
Microlending initiatives are developed to help bridge this gap and provide impoverished individuals access to business loans that they would otherwise not have access to. Ultimately, these loans can serve as an impactful way to help empower individuals, create jobs, and generate new economic cycles for markets in need.
