Heather Montgomery|John Weiss
Can Commercially-oriented Microfinance Help Meet the Millennium Development Goals? Evidence from Pakistan
International Christian University|University of Bradford
current emphasis microfinance industry shift donorfunded commercially sustainable operations article evaluates impact access microloans khushhali bankpakistans first largest microfinance bank operates commercial principles using primary data detailed household survey nearly 3000 borrower nonborrower households difference difference approach used test impact access loans results disaggregated rural urban areas positive impact rural areas food expenditure social indicators health children female empowerment impacts observed even poor households findings suggest commerciallyoriented microfinance millennium development goals incompatible given supportive environment