Philanthropedia - Women's World Banking (WWB) nonprofit profile

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Learn more about the Microfinance Top Performing Nonprofits:

Microfinance: Women's World Banking (WWB)

Mission: Women World’s Banking’s mission is to expand the economic assets, participation, and power of poor women as entrepreneurs and economic agents by opening their access to finance, knowledge, and markets.

BASIC INFORMATION	EXPERT ASSESSMENT	BENEFICIARY REVIEW

Basic Information
Social Cause: Microfinance
Issue Area: Microfinance

Year Founded: 1979
Problem

The microfinance industry has recently moved into the commercial mainstream, reducing its reliance on subsidized donor funding. This commercialization has decidedly shifted the focus of MFIs away from low-income populations in general and poor women in particular.
Solution

WWB works hand in hand with their network members to provide a range of ongoing, carefully designed technical and advisory services and to actively promote the exchange of best practices. In particular, it believes that moving away from a strictly credit-let approach towards providing a broad array of financial products and services, including savings and insurance, can mitigate the commercialization effect, and assist more poor women.

Based in New York City, WWB’s global team consists of 40 microfinance professionals who deliver expertise in serving the women’s market through product design and distribution, access to capital markets, organizational effectiveness, and peer-to-peer learning. They are supported by a global team that works closely with their member institutions to develop innovative business strategies, strengthen their organizations, and create products that best meet the needs of the poor in the communities they serve.
Impact

20 million: clients served by WWB. network.

74%: of the clients served by WWB network are women.

$4.3 billion: of loan portfolio in the WWB network.

30%: annual growth rate for WWB network members’ financial resources.

70% of WWB network members rank among the top three MFIs in their countries.
Financial Breakdown

Expenses Breakdown

Program Expenses : 1672798
Administrative Expenses: 9999
Fundraising Expenses: 170136
Charity Navigator Profile
Contact Information

Website: http://www.swwb.org/
Email: +1 212 768 8513
Phone: jkoenig@swwb.oprg

The contents of this page are primarily from this nonprofit organization's website. The views expressed on this page are those of this organization and not necessarily those of Philanthopedia.

Contributions to WWB in the United States are made through Friends of WWB/USA, Inc., a 501(c)(3) organization.

SummaryLearn more about these experts>>

Microfinance experts believe that Women’s World Banking’s main strength is that they focus on women. They are also innovative, have good marketing, and provide excellent technical assistance.

At the same time, experts believe that WWB should expand geographically, should focus on developing products that can reach the poorest women, and improve their measurement of impact.

Strengths

Focus on Women

"They focus on women for microfinance. They have a good visibility. "
"They focus on women. "
"They focus on women's empowerment, both as employees and clients."
"They focus on the women’s sector. "

Support Small Microfinance Institutions Well

"They extend support for small startup microfinance institutions. "
"They provide excellent technical assistance. "
"They have a grassroots presence."

Innovative and Good Marketing

"They are innovative. "
"They have good marketing. "

Areas for Improvement

Expand Geographically

"They should expand. "
"They should expand geographically. "

Improve Impact Assessment and Support

"They should improve their measurement of effectiveness."
"They should increase their capital and capacity building support. "

Focus on Poorer Women

"They should develop services or projects for the poorest women. "
"They should develop services or projects for the poorest women. "
"They should increase the depth and breadth of their outreach."
"They should focus on products for poorer clients. "

The views expressed on this page are those of each individual expert and not necessarily those of Philanthopedia. Note that each quote represents the views of just one person and may not reflect the sentiments of the entire group. We do not disclose the names of the experts who gave each comment to protect their anonymity

" Even when Nadya Felah worked as a janitor at a school in Amman, Jordan, she supplemented her income by buying used clothes in bulk and selling them to teachers. Realizing that this income was more than her salary, she quit her job at the school, bought a car using loans from MfW, and started selling clothes full time. Seeking a product with a continuous customer base, Nadya decided to start selling gas for cooking and heating. Her husband, Nidhal, was against the idea; he did not believe a woman running a gas distribution business would succeed. Nadya persisted, finishing in a few weeks a licensing process that usually takes six months. With a loan from MfW, she bought two cars and started her business in 2005. Nidhal realized how serious she was and saw how profitable the business was. He now works for Nadya part-time. She also employs her two sons, four drivers and two office employees, and is proud to say that she is supporting seven households.(Women’s World Banking Annual Report 2008)"
-Nadya Felah (Gas seller)

" Adisue is 30 years old, divorced, and raising four children on her own. The only material possessions her husband left her were the hut the couple had built and four sheep. But Adisue, who has no formal education, has proved herself equal to these challenges. Using a US$150 (approximately 1,300 birr) loan from PEACE six years ago, Adisue purchased a single cow. She then turned its milk into butter and cheese to sell at the local market. The impact of that first loan on Adisue’s life has been staggering. She now owns five cows, has built a larger house, and has replaced her family’s leaky thatched roof with tin. All four of her children are now in school, no small feat for a struggling household. Today Adisue earns a monthly income of 500 to 600 birr—equivalent to the starting salary for a college graduate in Addis Ababa. She hopes to continue getting larger loans so that she can build a cow shed and double her dairy business. (Women’s World Banking Annual Report 2008)"
-Adisue Ayu (Farmer in Ethiopia)

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