ECON 371 Mobilizing Financial Resources for Development

The goal of the course is to help the student gain a practical understanding of the fundamental concepts of microfinance, savings programs (VSLAs), and impact investing through small and medium enterprises (SMEs) by assessing customer needs and expectations; designing new products and delivery mechanisms; the various lending methodologies; the debate around regulations and supervision; assessing the quality of the portfolio; gauging financial viability; addressing governance and cultivating effective donor relations. Finally, all of this will be attempted with an eye toward assessing the theological importance and relevance of microfinance when attempted from a Christian perspective.