Evaluation of Financial Inclusion in the Villages of India

Financial inclusion refers to making financial services available at the doorsteps of the citizens of India. There has been a lot of research to identify the various factors that lead to the adoption of technology for banking and availing of financial services. But there is no study on the factors that impact the adoption of technology and formal banking services in India. A large section of the population in India still uses the informal banking channel such as money lender, relatives which leads to difficulties in availing the financial services. Qualitative research and that grounded theory have been used for research. Direct interview has been used to collect data from the participants across 11 different villages. The study highlights that the level of financial and digital literacy has improved in India though the Kisan credit card scheme faces various problems in implementation.

Outreach, Impact, and Sustainability of Informal Banking: A Case Study of the Ouelessebougou-Utah Alliance Microenterprise Program in Mali

This paper presents a case study of a rural credit program sponsored by the Ouelessebougou-Utah Alliance (OUA) in Mali, West Africa. Ethnographic methods are employed to determine the outreach, impact, and sustainability of the program. Findings indicate that program specifications increasingly limit participation to an established and primarily male clientele. Both male and female borrowers reported higher earnings and greater contribution to household expenses; however, access to credit for women is not associated with improved status. The prospect for administrative and financial sustainability of the program is undermined by a weak and ineffective educational component.