Microfinance & Health Protection Documents

Many microfinance institutions (MFIs)—particularly those serving the very poor—have witnessed the effects of all-too-common health shocks on the ability of clients to repay, save and flourish in their microenterprise endeavors. These institutions seek sustainable approaches that help safeguard their clients’ health while also protecting the institutional bottom line.

To meet this demand, Freedom from Hunger launched in January 2006 the Microfinance and Health Protection (MAHP) initiative with funding from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. Together with five well-established MFIs in Benin (PADME), Bolivia (CRECER), Burkina Faso (RCPB), India (Bandhan) and the Philippines (CARD), Freedom from Hunger sought to design and offer health-related products and services with positive health and economic impacts on clients while also being practical, cost-effective and even profitable for the MFIs. We assisted each MFI to develop its own “package” of health protection options, including health education, health financing and health microinsurance, linkages to healthcare providers and distribution of health products. After four years, the health protection services and products of the five MFIs were reaching a combined total of more than 300,000 microfinance clients.

Our MAHP initiative found that health protection services and products have a positive impact not only clients but also on the financial bottom line of the MFI. The materials we offer here include our research findings that document the impact of the health interventions on clients and on the MFIs, as well as a set of technical guides that we hope will be of use to others who seek to replicate or build on our efforts to show how microfinance and health protection can be integrated cost-effectively.

Microfinance and Health Protection Program Descriptions

• Global Overviews (English, French, Spanish)
• Adding Health to Microfinance in the Andes (English, Spanish)
• Health and Microfinance Alliance in India (English only)

Publications

• Leveraging the Power of Women’s Groups and Financial Services to Improve Knowledge and Behaviors for Improved Child and Maternal Nutrition
• Integrating Microfinance and Health Strategies: Examining the Evidence to Inform Policy and Practice
• Costs and Benefits of Microfinance Institutions Offering Health Protection Services to Clients
• Health and Microfinance: Leveraging the Strengths of Two Sectors to Alleviate Poverty
• Integrating Microfinance and Health Benefits, Challenges and Reflections for Moving Forward
• Why Not Add Health to Microfinance?!
• Microfinance against malaria: Impact of Freedom from Hunger’s malaria education when delivered by rural banks in Ghana
• Linking Health to Microfinance to Reduce Poverty
• Health financing: A new role for microfinance institutions?

Research Papers

Business Case and Analyses of Costs and Benefits of Microfinance and Health Programs:

• The Business Case for Adding Health Protection to Microfinance
• Cost Benefit Analysis Papers:  Benin, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, India, Philippines

Client Outcome Studies:

• Longitudinal Study of the Impact of the Integration of Microfinance and Health Services on Bandhan Clients in India – Research Brief and Full Report, Summary Presentations (English and Spanish)
• Integration of Microfinance and Health Services on Bandhan Clients in India - Research Brief and Full Report
• Health and Microfinance: Leveraging the Strengths of Two Sectors to Alleviate Poverty
• MAHP Research Summary and Full Research Reports:  Benin, Bolivia, Burkina Faso, India, Philippines

Health Microinsurance Education:

• The Impact of Health Insurance Education on Enrollment of Microfinance Institution Clients in the Ghana National Health Insurance Scheme, Northern Region of Ghana

Market Research:

• Enhancing the impact of microfinance: Client demand for health protection services on three continents

Landscaping Reports

• Integrated Health and Microfinance: Harnessing the Strengths of Two sectors to improve health and alleviate poverty in the Andes
• Integrated Health and Microfinance in India: Harnessing the Strengths of Two Sectors to Improve Health and Alleviate Poverty
• Integrated Microfinance and Health in India, Volume II: the Way Forward

Policy and Perspective Papers

• Malaria Education Policy Brief

Technical Guides

• Market Research for Microfinance and Health Protection: A Technical Guide for MFIs
• Developing Linkages with Health Providers: A Technical Guide for MFIs
• Health Loans: A Technical Guide for MFIs
• Health Savings: A Technical Note