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Chandra Ghosh
| Country: | India |
| Region: | Asia |
| Field Of Work: | Economic Development |
| Subsectors: | Financial Services/Markets, Municipal Services, Poverty Alleviation |
| Target Populations: | Unemployed/Working Poor, Women |
| Organization: | Bandhan |
| Year Elected: | 2007 |
In response to India’s great microfinance boom failing to include the “poorest of the poor” in its poverty alleviation programs, Chandra Shekhar’s ‘trickle-up’ program is aimed at graduating the poorest to regular microfinance first and then, to formal financial programs. To help them make the transition smoothly and manage their debt successfully, Chandra Shekhar has incorporated support services addressing crucial needs like health, education, business training, and insurance in his much-below-the-poverty-line financial services program. Tested and refined two years ago with 25 destitute women, the pilot succeeded in helping these women create sustainable livelihoods and reach income levels of Rs 2000 per month from the earlier Rs 300. Chandra Shekar operates through the internationally recognized microfinance institution Bandhan, with 343 branches covering about 10,000 villages and a client base of nearly 600,000 members.
