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Trinity Impact Evaluation Unit (TIME)

You are here Research > Financial Inclusion > Flexible Loans

Flexible Loans and Locked Savings for Female Market Vendors in India

flexible loans

  • Researchers:

    • Michael King and William Jack (Georgetown University)

  • Partners:

    • Chaitanya WISE

  • Location:

    • India

  • Sample:

    • 3,351 female micro entrepreneurs and/or involved in agriculture.

  • Timeline:

    • 2019-2022

  • Theme:

    • Financial capability, product design, savings

  • Description:

    • Small business growth is crucial for helping the poor improve their livelihoods, but expensive and inflexible financial products restrict business owners’ access to credit and constrain profits. Innovations for Poverty Action is supporting research that examines whether new financial products can help Indian female market vendors pursue borrowing strategies tailored to their business needs, while building up a reserve of savings they can use to finance week-to-week inventory purchases. The products feature increased flexibility in borrowing and repayment schedules, as well as an offsetting locked savings account that allows clients to build up savings while reducing interest rates on their loans.