microfinance

Microfinance - a form of financial services for entrepreneurs and small businesses lacking access to banking and related services

Microloan - a small loan given to individuals who might not have access to typical banking services, usually to start or expand small, self-sufficient businesses

One of the best-known lenders is Kiva.org

• As of November 26, 2013, Kiva has distributed $498,939,550 in loans from 1,015,823 lenders to 1,177,248 borrowers
• A total of 637,003 loans have been funded through Kiva
• The average loan size is $410.89
• The average Kiva user has made 10.06 loans
• Kiva's current repayment rate for all its partners is 99.01% !

microentrepreneurs who are trying to start (or kickstart!) a small business

villagers needing to fund a clinic, hospital, or other health care facility (malaria treatment, drugs, hypos, refrigerators, sanitation)

teachers trying to run a school (buying anything from books and pencils to desks and chairs)

students wanting to further their education (college tuition)

high interest rates

sometimes as high as 23%

The cost of providing banking services to those living in

poverty is high.  Being the company that provides tiny

loans can be expensive.

What’s harder and more time-consuming to process:

one $500,000 loan, or five hundred $1000 loans?   

banking services are often unavailable to poor people -

microloans fill a gap

it’s not just loans, but also insurance, legal representation,

and help with financial planning that become available

these are all important to people who are trying to break

the cycle of poverty

but poverty is a huge problem with no easy solutions

there are many challenges faced by developing nations

some of these can be alleviated through microloans

• substandard education ($ can help purchase supplies, buy books, pay teachers)
• poor health care ($ can help buy supplies, construct new/better buildings, deal with malaria)

speaking of malaria...

• It’s a mosquito-borne infectious disease
• humans and animals can be infected through the bite of a female mosquito
• no vaccine exists   :(
• it kills around 665,000 people

a year, many of them children

in sub-Saharan Africa

• mosquito nets can be effective
• (Thank you, Bill Gates)

philanthropy is the generous donation of money to good causes, and Bill and Melinda Gates are the second greatest philanthropists in history ($28 billion, ⅓ of their wealth)

Test Questions for Human Geo    

                   Steven Kucther, Hailey Ishak, Ellie Gottschalk, Stephanie Imbierowicz, Carly Schofield.

1. who is microfinance used for ? - it is used for people to start up a business or to keep a business going or just to help people who need a small loan.

2. what is a common use for a micro loan? - starting up new businesses, products, clinics, machinery, furniture, and schools  

3.What is a microloan? Loans people money to help them get a kick start in a small business that they think will be beneficial to their village or town

4.what is mocrofinance? A general term to describe financial services to low-income individuals or those who do not have access to typical banking services.

5. Who has the most supply of mosquitoes nets? Bill and Melinda Gates

6.what is the difference between developing countries and developed countries?- developing usually have lower levels of affluence and higher levels of unemployment, developed countries have the

7. what is malaria?  - malaria is a wide spreading disease that is transmitted by getting from a mosquitos

8.why do poor people pay more for loans? -micro lenders don’t get paid as much so poor people have to pay higher loans

9. What is a microlender? An organization that makes business loans to individuals who arent able to obtain financing from traditional lenders.

10.In developing countries the majority of the population is? Poor

11. How is giving Microloans better than just regular donations to charity? This way you're not just giving them many for no reason but you're giving them a kick start to make a successful business and in the end it’s their responsibility to pay you back for your help.

12.give 3 problems in developing countries that can be solved by microloans: malaria, drought, clean water

Microfinance notes

Microfinance is a general term used to describe financial services to low income individuals or to those who do not access to typical banking services. Microloans loans people money to help them get a kick start in a small business that they think will be beneficial to their village or town, it also helps investments in infrastructure, education, and legal reforms.

Microfinance provides people who don’t have money to start a business, for medical help, for school things etc…  it helps businesses start up and then stay running, it helps local economy and helps people pay for insurance.  It is an opportunity for less fortunate people to have stuff they normally couldn’t afford

In developing countries most of the people are poor, they are the least likely to be helped by regular banks. Problems in developing  countries that can be helped by microfinance would be malaria, drought, and clean water.

Malaria is a life threatening disease that is transmitted by mosquitoes. It was thought it was a thing that came from old marshes, it can be fatal. Every year malaria causes 665 thousands death. Every minuet a child dies from malaria.  Nets are how you stop them and bill gate and Malinda are the biggest donates.

With more small businesses there is a larger chance of having a bigger more successful businesses.

A micro lender is an organization that makes business loans to individuals who are not able to obtain financing from traditional lenders. They typically charge higher than average interest rates.

Lack of supplies, poor health care, poverty, pollution, electricity Is weak, diseases, famine, drought

A microloan is when a person lends a small amount of money to a developing businesses, once it is running the lender will receive their money back.

Benefits the community besides just one person. It allows people not have to go to the bank to have to pay expensive interest rates. A microentreprenurs with capital needed to operate to expand their business.  They allow people to switch professions that interest them more. It allows small business owners to access insurance.