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Christian Microfinance Principles

Readings Before Class

*Greer, P. and. Phil. Smith. (2009). The Poor Will Be Glad. Grand Rapids, Zondervan. (chap 7,8)

*Bussau, David & Russell Mask. (2003). Christian Micro enterprise development – An Introduction. Regnum Books international in Association with Paternoster Press. U.K. or WIpf & Stock or the Chalmers Centre. Start with Chapters 2 & 3. (Supplement that with the whole book if you can).

Skype Discussion

Discuss the Biblical foundations for micro-finances. What is the difference between a ROSCA and a Micro-finance organization? Do Biblical principles support one more than another? what is the role of MED and the local church? How does MED relate to our primary vision of the expansion of the Kingdom of God?

Concepts of Microfinance

Practical Steps in Developing Micro-finance

Development of Micro-finance Institutions

  • Microfinance Goes Mainstream, a review of The Poor Will be Glad ch 7 by A.lissa Wachter
  • *Ledgerwood, J. (1999). Products & Services. Microfinance Handbook: An Institutional and Financial Perspective. Washington, The International Bank for Reconstruction and development/World Bank. (Amazon $35.59 new, kindle $13.27). Chapter 3.
  • Yunus, Muhummad (1999). Banker to the Poor: Micro-Lending and the Battle Against World Poverty 272 pages. ISBN: 1891620118 (Amazon $10.20 Kindle $9.69).

Supplementary Readings

  • Maria Otero and Elisabeth H. Rhyne, eds. (1994). The New World of Microenterprise Finance: Building Healthy Financial Institutions for the Poor . Kumarian Press. ISBN: 1565490304 318 pages.
  • Marguerite Robinson (2001). The Microfinance Revolution: Sustainable Finance for the Poor . World Bank, ISBN: 0821345249..

Critiques of Micro Finance Progressions

Examine the two diagrams and narrative in:

  • Mayoux, Linda. Micro-finance and the Empowerment of women. (Access at http://www.ilo.org/employment/Whatwedo/Publications/WCMS_117993/lang--en/index.htm. ) A Ppt Review
  • Discuss the effects of micro-finances on the role of women? (the article assumes that all women are oppressed in poor societies). Is economic uplift significant or only a stepping stone to a wider women’s liberation movement? Given the Biblical values of respect, roles, love, mutuality in male-female relationships in marriage can you locate any articles of micro-finances on the impact on marriage relationships? Discuss the spiraling down of other women’s empowerment initiatives in favor of donor-loved micro-finance programs.
  • Henning, Amy. (2013) An Analysis of US Microfinance Issues. APU MATUL masters paper, July 20133

Elizabeth Rhyne. (2001). Crisis in Bolivian Microfinance, Accion Press release. (A PPT review)

  • Discuss the phases of emergence of micro-finance. At what point does the scaling up into becoming banks become counterproductive. And why? Discuss how an economic downturn and entrapment in loans created the Bolivian crisis. How is this different to the pattern of the US economic meltdown in 2009?
  • Moll, Rob, (2011). Christian Microfinance Stays on Mission, Christianity Today. 5/27/2011.
  • India's Microfinance Meltdown for BBC Newsnight

    • Supplementary Reading

    • Elizabeth Rhyne. (2001). Mainstreaming Microfinance: How Lending to the Poor Began, Grew, and Came of Age in Bolivia. Kumarian Press, ISBN. 1565491262. 272 pages.
    • To glean the phases of development of the micro-finance industry it is enjoyable to read the life story of David Bussau, the Christian equivalent of Mohammad Yunus in Philippa Tyndale. (2005). Don't Look Back: The David Bussau Story. Allen & Unwin.

    US Cooperative Banking Processes

    Abello, Oscar, Perry, (2019, Feb 25). Can the Financial System's Best-Kept Secret Help Finance a Green New Deal? h2>The Diversity of Cooperative Economic Approaches

    The following is an interesting article. There is nothing new under the sun, (so don't get too excited at any specific model as THE answer to poverty).


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