Week 15 Reading Reflection

Questions

1) What was the biggest surprise for you in the reading? In other words, what did you read that stood out the most as different from your expectations?

Working only with women is a novel concept but in America, based on equal opportunity, it would not work.  The rationale behind this approach is sound though and the concept of group lending makes sense because it fosters responsibility, cooperation, and accountability.

2) Identify at least one part of the reading that was confusing to you.

There was not anything particularly confusing about this article.  It was very intuitive especially in how the author explained the customer focus of SKS.

3) If you were able to ask two questions to the author, what would you ask? Why?

Was the fatwa mentioned on the first page of the article about not doing business with SKS or about the fact that borrowing on interest is prohibited in Islam?

Does microfinance have to involve interest based lending?

4) Was there anything you think the author was wrong about? Where do you disagree with what she or he said? How?

I don’t buy into the notion that a for-profit venture is the only avenue to create scale.  It certainly makes it easier but the profit motive always brings compromises that sooner or later will impact the social good intent of the original enterprise.