In this endeavor however, care needs to be taken that financial products and services are actually sensitive to the needs of the poor who are availing of them. It is necessary to understand people in their economic and social environments to be able to adequately tailor products and services that will impact upon poverty. This is particularly true since poverty is governed also by social constraints which affect the capacities of the poor to absorb products and services and effectively use them for increased productivity. Hence the capacities of institutions and organizations have to be built for them to be effective designers and suppliers of financial products and services.

Most importantly, since microfinance is largely routed through women, it is imperative to understand their lives to be able to implement programs that are sensitive to their needs as workers and producers. Women’s needs alter as their life cycle changes. Further, their role in the care economy where they produce and maintain future human resources, and maintain depleted or ill human resources, is a critical to the entire economy. This role of women in the care economy however, affects their participation in the market economy and determines how much time and effort they can give to market led activities. Unless the connections between the two parallel economies: care and market, are understood, it will not be possible to accurately meet the financial needs of women.

The Indian School of Microfinance is geared towards shaping people and women sensitive microfinance. It seeks to build the capacities of microfinance institutions and facilitating organizations to positively impact upon poverty levels of their microfinance clients by adequately understanding their lived experiences. Again, adherence to technical financial stipulations for suppliers and receivers of micro finance are most important for the sustainability of the sector. The School believes that a centered approach which is able to balance economic engineering with social engineering will lead to financial sustainability for the organization and well being for the clients.

The School is particularly focused upon conducting research and developing training modules that reflects the voices of the poor and women through the use of participatory methodologies. Such trainings offered to practioners of microfinance will serve to create a cadre of adept development professionals and shape the sector towards achieving a balance where social missions are achieved alongside economic sustainability. Trainings for clients will enable women and their households to make efficient use of financial services offered by microfinance so as to enhance their well being.

One of the areas where the School has taken the lead is in building awareness and offering trainings on financial literacy. Financial literacy assists women and their households to make better informed decisions in managing their money. Trainings on financial literacy address the comprehension and application of concepts such as: financial planning the fungibility of money; savings; investments; borrowings; budgets; interest rates, etc. The School has a Centre that is especially dedicated to this area of expertise, which is the Citi Center for Financial Literacy.

Other trainings offered by the School encompass capacity building of self help groups and management development programs for self help groups. The School looks forward to offering trainings in the future on gender-sensitive microfinance and tracking empowerment effects of microfinance. Research focuses on understanding financial behavior of women clients, issues around women’s leadership in microfinance, self help groups, federations, micro enterprise, livelihoods, social capital, financial inclusion and building women’s assets.