Microfinance for water and sanitation:A case study from Tiruchirappalli, India

摘要

This paper looks at the development of a water and sanitation loan fund deployed through a network ofwomen’s selfhelpgroups in Southern India. The success of the loan fund reduced barriers to credit fromformal lending institutions and increased investment in water and sanitation facilities. Results from thiscase study indicate that microfinanceprinciples can be successfully applied to the water and sanitationsector. The objectives of this case study are to summarize what is known about this loan program andexplore the possibilities and limitations of this new financing model for the water and sanitation sector.