Day 1

Microfinance

Microfinance and the poor

• Role of microfinance to improve living standard.

Effectiveness of microfinance

• Identify how and where microfinance is effective and where it is not

Microfinance Success Stories

• Microfinance Success stories in different countries like Mexico, Brazil, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan to name a few.

Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid -Uplifting poor

• Discussion on the networking of microenterprises with Corporates for economic development.
• A documentary on ITC and HLL

Measuring the impact of microfinance

• Microfinance provides financial services to the active poor. Thereby, it contributes to positive social impact on three different levels: personal/household level, community level and regional level. A client impact analysis of how microfinance improves the prosperity levels.

Day 2

Co-operatives

• Role of Co-operatives in Microfinance:
• Cooperatives have a long history of providing financial services to poor and low-income people. They are well placed to help poor people, especially in areas underserved by commercial banks. Therefore, co-operatives continue to serve -- often by providing affordable and equitable access to microfinance services.
• Case Study of Amul
• A Hindi movie on microfinance and co-operatives - "Manthan"
• Discussion

Day 3

Practical Aspects of Microfinance

There are tremendous opportunities for innovation in microfinance if new incentives focus on reaching new markets, such as women who are currently excluded, clients in rural areas and, above all, the very poor; delivering new products, including expanded savings services and client training to promote business, personal, and social development; and new ways of doing business, such as addressing continued obstacles to women's empowerment and including more women in the leadership of microfinance institutions

• Different products and services offered by MFIs:
• Rate of interest and cost of borrowing:
• Lending Models
• Commercial banks and microfinance
• Equity Financing

Real Life Examples

• Case studies of exponential growth through Microfinance:
• Grameen Bank
• Spandan
• Grameen Koota
• SKS India

Day 4

Microfinance and Women:

Women Entreprenuership and business growth:

• The microfinance industry has been at the forefront of recognizing women as a force in international development and a market worthy of attention but can do even better if it addresses ongoing barriers to women's participation and empowerment

Microfinance and gender: Benefits and challenges of targeting women.

• Women are typically targeted for microfinance initiatives around the globe because studies indicate that involving women in microfinance ventures often plays a role in increasing gender equality within in a country

Role of NGOs in Microenterprise and Microfinance

• Role of NGOs in Microenterprises
• International agencies supporting NGOs

SEWA

• Case Study
• Discussion

Day 5

Regulatory and Legal aspects of Microfinance

Institutional framework of microfinance:

• The respective roles of various players in microfinance. Also the role of Government in determining the policy framework and their relative comparative advantages in providing financial services to the poor

Governance Issues in Microfinance:

• It is a well known fact that microfinance holds enormous potential for national economic growth by supporting the economic activities of poor people, and thus contributing to poverty alleviation. So, discussion on governance issues is of utmost importance.

Self Help Groups:

• A talk on how a small group of 10-20 women members can collect savings and provide loans amongst themselves.

Best Practices of Microfinance:

• The field of microfinance is diverse because it is still evolving. There is no single approach, lending methodology or organizational structure appropriate for all situations. Therefore every model must be adapted to the local context and tailored to fit and reflect local needs. Best practices, as exemplified by the cases and examples presented in the workshop, should therefore be seen with this perspective in mind.

Week 2 - Microenterprise

Day 1

Microenterprise and Small Business Ownership-Management Skills and Tools

• Understand the requirements in micro enterprise management and the importance of record keeping.
• Carry out financial analysis and diagnosis and come up with the recommendations and options to the micro entrepreneur.
• Meet and listen to current successful small business owners and share their insights in owning and operating a small business / micro enterprise.
• Learn the basic steps of small business start up and resources available.
• Identify the critical areas in management, the common weakness of micro entrepreneurs and importance of exchange of business information in the women's group.

Project Selection

• Is it a viable business proposition in your area?
• Check it out with basic marketing research.
• Consult with experts and look out for competition.
• Sunrise industry and your business opportunity

• Practical Session: Identify your own project

Day 2

Business Planning

• Introduction to the written business plan and how to start writing your own plan

• Practical Session: Project Report Writing

Business Financing

• Learn how to go about obtaining funds from a bank
• Learn how to check your credit history and how to address any related credit problems.
• Eligiblity to apply for low interest Micro-enterprise loans
• Islamic Banking

Day 3

Risk Management and Micro Insurance

• Learn about the use of business insurance as one aspect of risk management for your business

Financial Statements and Accounting

• Learn how to do an estimation of working capital for your business.
• Learn how to keep track of simple financial records and how to keep books for your business.

• Practical Session: Estimate the Working Capital Needs of your business

Day 4

Marketing

• Find out how to identify your market,
• How to promote sales
• How to know your customers and retain them.

Technology, Machinery and Unit Development

• Choice of process technology
• Identification of infrastructure needs
• Environmental issues
• Practical Session: Prepare a Marketing Plan for your business

Day 5

Microenterprise in Practice

• Challenges faced by microenterprises
• Opportunities available to microenterprises
• Opportunities available to microenterprises, the down side of microfinance.

• Practical Session : Industry Visit.

Methodology - Methodology will include interactive sessions, syndicate discussions, live case studies, simulation games, industrial visits and face to face discussions with successful entrepreneurs, audio visual aids including films on successful micro enterprises.

Learning Outcomes

1. Understanding Microfinancing and Microinsurance through practical examples
2. A thorough understanding of how to identify and run your own Microenterprise.
3. Preparation of project report and identifying the sources of funds
4. Developing marketing plan for Microenterprises and its implementation.
5. Estimating working capital needs for day-to-day operations and its effective management
6. To learn about the role of NGOs in development of Microenterprises.