Microfinance: The Real Fight

April has been deemed the Month of Microfinance – a time to celebrate the movement and those it has aided in escaping extreme poverty, a time to question its current and future impact, a time to discuss, debate, and challenge.

Should it be client-centric or profit-focused?  Should interest be charged on loans?  Should it be holistic, including not just credit, but also insurance, savings, education loans, etc.?  Does it really promote national economic growth?  These are just a few of the questions a mere mention of microfinance ignites.

This could easily turn into a monotone, snooze fest of a book if we tried to unwrap all these questions – not to imply the answers are unimportant, but are they as important as the movement?  Are these questions and their subsequent answers as important as the dialogue they encourage?  Will we ever all agree that one answer is wrong while another is right?  Or is that even the point?  Maybe the discussions that ensue, the conversations that begin, the debates that inspire passion are the real point.

By engaging in the conversation about microfinance, by sharing our zealous, impassioned opinions, we’re talking about poverty, we’re dealing with real issues.  Mean to or not, we’re raising awareness, we’re using our voices, our keyboards, our platforms to fight for people who might not have any of those things.

As we share our stories, debate the impacts of microfinance, and fight for its viability, people are listening, men and women the world over are paying attention – from Wall Street to Windhoek, people are taking notice.  Maybe they agree with me, maybe they agree with you, but they’re listening nonetheless.

So make an effort this month to engage in the microfinance debate, to share your opinions, to fight fiercely for your side.  But remember, maybe the questions aren’t as important as the conversations they spark.