| |
Microfinance and new technologies
ICT can play a major role in the fight against poverty and at the same time, it is precisely in the context of the fight against poverty that these new technologies can help to reduce the digital gap most effectively
At first glance, microfinance and ICT appear somewhat unrelated. The former is meant for continents where almost all of the population has no access to the Internet and where half of the inhabitants die without even having ever used a telephone. ICT helps accelerate the process of communication between networks that have already achieved a high level of technical sophistication but can hardly be seen as a priority for people deprived of water, food, homes, garbage collection systems, whose countries lack proper social care services, educational structures and democracy.
The digital divide does not seem to be their primary concern, and bridging the same is given a far less priority as compared to any of the aforesaid elements.
Nevertheless, ICT can play a major role in the fight against poverty and at the same time, it is precisely in the context of the fight against poverty that these new technologies can help to reduce the digital gap most effectively.
New ICT for microfinance
The experience acquired by PlaNet Finance in this field demonstrates that development of microfinance can be achieved not only through the existence of effective, stable, transparent but also through well managed microfinance institutions capable of keeping their operating costs at the lowest possible level. In terms of execution and follow-up however, a microfinance loan is an expensive proposition. The implementation of efficient information systems and the computerization of the networks, to which the microfinance institutions belong, are hence conditions essential to both their survival and growth. They are also key factors in the transparency of their accounts and in the rating operations carried out by agencies such as PlaNet Rating.
Interested?
Read the complete article here.
|
|
Features