Financial Well-being and Social Protection

Chit Funds are indigenous financial institutions in India that combine credit and savings in a single scheme. In a chit fund scheme, a group of individuals come together for a predetermined time period and contribute to a common pool at … Read More

Unpredictable rainfall is an important risk for agricultural activity, and farmers in developing countries often receive incomplete insurance from informal risk-sharing networks. This paper presents findings from a study that examines the demand for, and effects of, offering formal index-based … Read More

This study aimed at understanding the scope of different financial literacy training programmes that are being implemented across India, from both an implementer’s and beneficiaries’ perspective. To gather data for the study, discussions were held with all the stakeholders (module developing … Read More

This paper explores the uptake of branchless banking in one of the largest BC programs in the world, Financial Inclusion Network and Operations (FINO), which currently has over 48 million activated savings accounts across India. Despite being open, many savings … Read More

The study explored the financial behavior of cycle rickshaw pullers in Delhi to assess their strategies and choices in saving, storing and remitting their money and the challenges and the constraints they faced in managing their money and livelihoods.

CMF coordinated this study in collaboration with five MRAP professors. The primary focus of this study was to investigate the borrowing practices of existing microfinance clients, inclusion within a formal banking system, and spending patterns in relation to microloans. Furthermore, … Read More

The MRAP Report details the capacity building program of CMF conducted over the last three years. This document summarizes the activities covered under Microfinance Researchers Alliance Program (MRAP)- a research capacity development programme funded by Ford Foundation in the span … Read More

This report explores the reasons and costs of hidden loan delinquency, despite high group repayment rates prevalent in the group lending mechanism. In a Joint Liability Group, if one of the members fails to repay a loan fully, the responsibility … Read More

This report presents insights from a study that aims at understanding the impact of EKO’s mobile money on the savings behavior and practices of low income users and its transformative potential on the economic lives of the users in terms … Read More

This report, a collection of key CMF studies conducted over the last five years, is meant to serve as a reference document for policymakers, practitioners, researchers and others interested in financial services for the poor. More specifically, the studies presented … Read More