A Summary of chapter 3, voices of the Clients, by Robinson summarized by Michelle Kao

1. Microfinance Revolution
Chapter 3: Voices of the Clients

2. What do Clients have to say?
Via stories, Robinson addresses these 5 questions in
regards to the effects of microfinance:
Do people understand microfinance products and can they use them?
Can microfinance help the economically active poor expand/diversify their
enterprise and increase income?
Can access to microfinance improve quality of life?
Can access to microfinance help the economically poor in times of severe
household difficulty?
Can microfinance improve the self-confidence of clients?

3. Success Stories
1. Able to explain the complexities of different financial
products, interest rates, and how they relate to their
personal circumstance.
2. Bulk purchasing, access to transport, tools, space,
enterprise diversification are typical ways in which
people are able to increase profit and expand business.
3. Creating healthy policies influence conditions within the
home (i.e. domestic abuse). Increased income allows for
higher education, means for health care and healthy
living.
4. Microsavings and loans helped people get through crises
like single parenthood, loss of employment, and
economic collapse.
5. Confidence is built from freedom from debt, access to
education, successful careers, financial independence for
women, and ability to provide and care for loved ones.

4. Which leaves us asking...
How common are these
types of experiences?
What facilitates people
achieving success? Or
conversely, what prevents
people from being able to
have these types of
experiences within
microfinance?