Genesis of Indian School of Microfinance for Women

Genesis

The Indian School of Microfinance for Women based in Ahmedabad is a new initiative in the discipline of microfinance. The large number of organizations, with varying models such as SHG model, the intermediary organisations in the linkages programmes, NGOs, CBFIs, MFIs, Credit cooperative and federation and Cooperative banks, operating in microfinance sector have a complete spectrum of training needs. Most of these organizations do not have access to high quality training, especially in vernacular. A needs assessment and sector review identified huge unmet demand in terms of capacity building needs.

Currently in India, there are very few organisation having in-house training capabilities that devote their time and money resources towards addressing the capacity building needs of those associated with them. These institutions are trying to meet the capacity building needs of some of the CBFIs but the demand-supply gap is huge. The needs of the other stakeholders cannot be currently met through in-house training departments of these more developed and competent institutions.

To meet these capacity requirements, a partnership between two of India's leading microfinance organizations, SEWA Bank and Friends of Women’s World Banking, India and an innovative Canadian education-development institute, COADY International Institute has been formed to create the Indian School of Microfinance for Women. The School is based in Ahmedabad in the State of Gujarat, but serves the need for microfinance training and research throughout India and the region. This is a collaboration formed out of urgency to ensure that the microfinance field, poised for dramatic growth in India, is able to consolidate into a mature and vibrant sector based on strong local capacity able to drastically reduce the absolute numbers of poor in India over the next decade.