Operational partnership facing challenges with commercial banks: microfinance the case of Hembeti and Turiani saccos/CRDB partnership

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Date

2011

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Sokoine University of Agriculture

Abstract

Financing the poor is expensive than commercial banking due to transactions and administration cost. Loan officers have to travel to remote areas to give loans and other services. The problem is aggravated further by the fact that poor people have only small sums to save which limit the banks' economic opportunities. Recently, Microfinance Company initiated efforts to assist the poor by creating awareness on the borrowing procedures. This situatiomattracted Microfinance Industries (MFIs) to go into partnership with commercial financial institutions. The lending programme appears to produce tangible benefits and does not distort the process of financial intermediation between micro savers and micro borrowers' survivor. The purpose of this case was to determine the operational challenges facing the MFIs partnership with commercial banks. Two SACCOS namely Hembeti and Turiani were used as case studies. The data were gathered through participating in the SACCOS general meetings and interviews with leaders and other members. The results narrate several challenges which face the SACCOS. For the case of Hembeti SACCOS, paddy storage was a problem as all respondents mentioned shortage of godowns. Farm input costs to both SACCOS was mentioned by more than 90% of the respondents as prohibitively high to the extent of compromising SACCOS members from effective farming activities. Education is an important component for the SACCOS management to manage business and financial aspect as organization grow. This study has found that 55% of Hembeti SACCOS leaders had primary school education different from their counterpart Turiani SACCOS with 92% of its management members with secondary school education and 8% being universityiii graduate. Furthermore, the 81% and 99% of Hcmbcti and Turiani borrowers respectively used their loans as planned and had significantly reduced credit risk. Therefore there is need for MFIs continue plans to build a vibrant market of microfinance services by setting fair pricing and profit levels. Need for micro credit to expand entrepreneurial activities is a very important aspect. The study recommends that MFI management should posses the necessary skills that would lead to implementation of range of financial services and policies that support the farmers in different matters. Adherence to agreed ethics and the general code of conducts shall be taken as necessary.

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Keywords

Commercial banks, Microfinance, Operational partnership, SACCOS Hembeti -Turiani

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