Microfinance plus: protecting clients in India

Ging Ledesma on 11‑09‑2011

A cool 19 deg. in Bengaluru (India) and another gleaming huge airport. As I scanned the names on placards – I heard my name called. Jesu Thomas, our Area Manager (Bangalore, Chennai and Kerala) had dragged himself out of bed at 230 that morning to meet my 430 arrival! I asked myself whether I would have done the same had he been arriving in the Netherlands! A bit of confusion in locating the hotel but finally, by 7, I was checked in.

My instructions from Jesu Thomas (pictured right): rest as we were to travel later today to visit a - ASA- Vidiyal MHSS in Tamilnadu. We have confirmed bus tickets and waitlisted tickets on the train. Either way, it will be a night on the road. I am in India to do an assessment of Janalakshmi Financial Services Private Limited together with colleagues from our India office, Manaveeya. Martin Emmanuel, Madhavi Potay and Jesu Thomas, colleagues from Manaveeya and myself will form two teams working over 4 days on this assessment.

We are doing this in collaboration with Hema Bansal from the SMART Campaign. Assessments like the one we are about to conduct are part of SMART Campaign’s program of certifying MFIs according to observance and implementation of Client Protection Principles.

Oikocredit endorses the SMART Campaign and Ben Simmes, head of Oikocredit’s Social Performance department, sits on the Board. We encourage our MFI partners to endorse the principles and worldwide, we have been active in promoting the principles by organizing workshops and conferences. The most recent workshop was in the Philippines with Delle Tiongson participating from Oikocredit. This assessment in India is another reflection of both our commitment to the principles to ensure that our project partners do not harm clients. It is also reflective of our commitment to support partners improve their practice. It is our intention to support Janalakshmi address whatever areas are identified for improvement.

The assessment does not start until Tuesday, 13 September so I am travelling to Tamilnadu tonight to visit another project partner – ASA- Vidiyal MHSS.

11 September 2011 (a.m.), Bengaluru, India

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