Microfinance Non-Financial Services: A Key for Poverty Alleviation? Lessons from Mexico

Olga Biosca, Pamela Lenton () and Paul Mosley ()
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Paul Mosley: Department of Economics, The University of Sheffield

No 2011021, Working Papers from The University of Sheffield, Department of Economics

Abstract: Microfinance non-financial services have been recently reformulated as high quality demand-led programs. In the Mexican context, these are now voluntary, can have a cost for the borrower and are frequently supplied in partnership with specialized public or private agencies. Using primary data from a survey of clients of two credit-plus programs in Chiapas, this paper examines and compares the participation determinants and added impact of the training sessions on monetary poverty outcomes of the borrowers. We focus on two specific programs: Business Development Services and Preventive Health Services. Results suggest that the participation decision mainly depends on borrowers’ characteristics. Non-financial services are found to reduce the clients’ likelihood of being under the asset poverty line. No significant differences were observed between the impacts of the two non-financial programs.

Keywords: Non-financial services; Credit-plus; Microfinance; Poverty; Oportunidades. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 28 pages
Date: 2011-10
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dev, nep-hme and nep-mfd
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:shf:wpaper:2011021

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