Madagascar - Savings and Loans

[摘要] The first savings and loan associations(SLAs - mutuelles d'epargne et de credit) wereestablished in Madagascar in 1993 under a pilot projectsupported by the World Bank. By the time the project closedin December 1997, 54 SLAs had been established in fourregions, Toamasina, Lac Alaotra, Fianarantsoa andHaute-Mania, and they had started to group themselves intoregional unions. The lessons learned from this pilot projectare being factored into the preparation of the follow-upproject. The main lesson is that it takes more effort tomaintain and develop Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) thanto create them. The enthusiasm of donors to provideassistance in microfinance and the lack of readiness of thegovernment to receive it resulted in duplications andcontradictions. These can be avoided in the future by awell-defined national strategy on microfinance. To progresstowards self-sustainability, MFIs must also move into urbanareas where population density helps to lower the costs ofdelivering financial services and where savings can be morereadily mobilized to support growth.

[发布机构] Washington, DC

[学科分类] 社会科学、人文和艺术（综合）

[关键词] ACCOUNTING;ACCOUNTING SYSTEMS;AGRICULTURAL BANK;BANKING SECTOR;BENEFICIARIES