Go Deeper

If you are interested in learning more about microfinance, go deeper with the resources below. The books and websites collected here include both Christian and secular resources, providing a great range of tools and suggestions for getting involved.

Books

A Billion Bootstraps: Microcredit, Barefoot Banking, and the Business Solution for Ending Poverty, by Phil Smith and Eric Thurman
Explores how small loans empower those living in poverty to start small businesses, in turn allowing them to support their families and improve local economies. Also explains how ordinary people can get involved.

When Helping Hurts: How to Alleviate Poverty without Hurting the Poor … and Yourself, by Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert
Provides churches with the foundational concepts and general principles they need to more holistically minister to the poor, without hurting the poor or themselves.

Christian Microenterprise Development: An Introduction, by David Bussau and Russell Mask
An introductory book on microfinance and how it can be used to further Christ’s kingdom.

Walking with the Poor: Principles and Practices of Transformational Development, by Bryant L. Myers
Explores how a Christian worldview can contribute to overcoming poverty using a holistic approach that integrates physical, social, and spiritual development.

Good News to the Poor: Sharing the Gospel through Social Involvement, by Tim Chester
Argues that evangelism and social action are both essential to the church’s mission.

Dead Aid: Why Aid Is Not Working and How There Is a Better Way for Africa, by Dambisa Moyo
Moyo, an economist and native to Zambia, critiques the West’s approach to aid in Africa, advocating solutions like microfinance as an alternative.

The Poor and Their Money: Microfinance from a Twenty-First Century Consumer’s Perspective, by Stuart Rutherford with Sukhwinder Arora
Emphasizes the key role that saving plays in the lives of the poor, while exploring the ways microfinance has developed in the twenty first century.

Banker to the Poor: Micro-Lending and the Battle against World Poverty, by Muhammad Yunus
Autobiography of Nobel Peace Prize winner Muhammad Yunus.

Microfinance Handbook: An Institutional and Financial Perspective, by Joanna Ledgerwood
A rigorous and technical overview of secular microfinance.

Websites

United Nations Microfinance Distance Learning Course
A free distance learning course provided by the UN.
http://www.uncdf.org/english/microfinance/MFcourse.php

MIX Market
Provides information on larger MFIs around the world along with donor and partner organizations.
http://www.mixmarket.org/

CGAP
An independent policy and research center dedicated to advancing financial access for the world's poor.
http://www.cgap.org/

Microfinance Gateway
A service of CGAP, this site has all of the information you would want on microfinance.
http://www.microfinancegateway.com/

The Microcredit Summit Campaign
Brings together a broad range of people and organizations involved with microcredit to promote best practices and ensure that 175 million of the world's poorest families receive microcredit by 2015.
http://www.microcreditsummit.org/

The Chalmers Center for Economic Development
Provides training so that churches can better help the poor to help themselves.
http://www.chalmers.org/