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A country's ability to develop depends on the empowerment of its women. Evidence from several countries indicates that giving Self-Help Group (SHG) member’s microcredit can help empower rural women. The main objective of the study is impact of creation of SHGs on rural women in Assam. Also purpose of this research was to determine how well SHGs in Assam contribute to women's economic empowerment. The study's primary data came from interviews with SHG beneficiaries conducted in the Bongaigaon District of Assam. In all, sixty samples are gathered from two blocks of the Bongaigaon district. According to the survey, the majority of respondents are between the ages of 25 and 45, and they have completed elementary and middle level of school. After joining SHGs, participants engaged in a variety of income-generating activities. The outcome demonstrated a favorable shift in economic empowerment metrics, such as income, employment, and savings, following SHG membership. For the economic indicators, the estimated value of the Wilcoxon signed Ranks Test was significant. It was found that, in comparison to the pre-SHG scenario, the majority of the respondents' income, employment days, and savings amount rose in the post-SHG scenario. Therefore, the study came to the conclusion that SHGs were essential to rural women's empowerment in the study region.

Financial inclusion has become a topic of discussion in emerging and developing nations since the majority of people continue to lack access to either formal or informal financial services. In many countries, the post office is seen as a vehicle for financial inclusion due to its extensive network. In addition, with the decline in sales of their core business, traditional mail has exacerbated the need for the post office to venture into financial services whilst simultaneously answering the call to bridge the gap in society, especially for the un-banked and under-banked communities. Moreover, there is a need for post-offices to protect their long-term vitality as a business. This paper provides a theoretical perspective of financial inclusion, the role that the post office can play and the challenges preventing an effective rollout of financial services. This review can help postal managers, governments and policy-makers to understand how they can effectively use the post office to serve the un-banked communities. In addition, the study has enriched the academic discourse by providing literature on postal financial services and financial inclusion.

This paper attempts to find out why higher institution students in Duhok are not opening or having bank accounts. With the use of interview process and questionnaire, 100 students were selected from Newroz University, Dohok Polytechnic University and Dohok private technical institute in Duhok city.  It was found from this study that most of these students’ approximately 90 students of them have no bank accounts while only 10 of them have bank accounts. Moreover, this research found that trust on banks, security, bad banks infrastructure, lack of money, costs of opening bank accounts, access to bank accounts and unemployment are the main reasons for low banking interest among students in Duhok city. However, the highest reason is lack of trust on Duhok banks and lack of money due to high unemployment rate. It is suggested that banks in Duhok city should encourage students to open bank accounts by advertising the importance of banking services and offer student loans. Also, Duhok government should award scholarship to student to ease the pressure from the unemployment menace in the country. Keywords: Un-bank, Bank trust, Poverty, Banking access

The present study seeks to examine the role of microfinance and its impact on economic and social empowerment of women. The study used multi-stage stratified proportionate random sampling technique in the selection of the representative district, mandal/taluka, villages and households. Empirically acclaimed logistic regression model has been employed for analyzing significant impact of plausible socio-economic factors on women empowerment. The study found that the socio-economic indicators have undergone significant changes. It also emerged that there has been an increase in women participation in the household decision making process. The study suggests that the government should prepare suitable plans and programmes for the social and economic empowerment of women. The study also suggests that policy measures such as increase in frequency of SHG meeting, SHG training programme, increase in loan amount and ensuring effective utilization of the loan, may be the useful initiatives to enhance women empowerment, income and employment opportunities.

Many credit schemes in Tanzania channel their funds to women with the objective of alleviating poverty among them. Despite this, majority of women in the country continue to wallow in poverty. The present research was carried out among the Foundation for International Community Assistance’s women credit beneficiaries in Mwanza. The study set out to address the following objectives: to analyze the influence of the husband’s cooperation, relevant training and interest rate on poverty alleviation among women credit beneficiaries in Tanzania taking Foundation for International Community Assistance in Mwanza as a case study. Using simple regression model, results showed that cooperation from the husband as well as relevant training influences poverty alleviation among women credit beneficiaries in Tanzania by 56 and 36 percent respectively. But interest rate was found to have no significant influence at all. The paper recommends that seminars be conducted so that husbands can be taught the importance of cooperating with their wives. Above all giving training to women credit beneficiaries will go a long way in sharpening their business skills. Future researchers should research on laziness and complacency among women credit beneficiaries and the influence on poverty.  

This study presents a thematic literature review aimed at understanding the systemic barriers that Black African women face when accessing bank loans in South Africa, as well as the critical role that the humanities can play in addressing these issues. In the context of the persistent economic instability facing South Africa, the small business sector has become a vital source of income and resilience for Black women. Despite this, their economic potential remains constrained by limited access to bank loans. Guided by an intersectionality framework, the study discusses the systemic barriers that contribute to the financial hardships and exclusion of Black African women. It further explores how gender-sensitive and humanities-informed approaches can contribute to more inclusive financial services. This includes emphasizing the need for culturally sensitive financial products, bias awareness training, and supportive policy frameworks. The review calls for strategic interventions to improve economic empowerment among Black African women entrepreneurs. Central to these interventions is the role of humanities faculties in facilitating Short Learning Programs and Skills Training Programs that provide business training, helping women manage finances and scale their ventures sustainably through enhanced financial literacy. This increased knowledge can improve their chances of success, even in the absence of formal funding. Conducting Afrocentric research is another avenue to uncover the barriers and address the current financial exclusion that Black women in South Africa experience. Gender equality in financial inclusion must remain one of the fundamental building blocks for steady and positive economic growth in South Africa.

This study examines the effects of Mobile Financial Services (MFS) on the growth and composition of bank deposits in Bangladesh over the period 2015-2024 based on bank-level panel data for 26 commercial banks. Using Fixed Effects (FE), Random Effects (RE), and Generalized Least Squares (GLS) estimation and controlling for COVID-19 dummy, the study finds that MFS transaction volume has a negative and statistically significant effect on deposit growth. This indicates that rising mobile financial activity slows the pace at which banks accumulate deposits. However, MFS positively and significantly affects both current and savings deposit levels, consistent with the financial inclusion channel through which mobile platforms channel funds into the formal banking system. The effect on total deposits and fixed deposits is statistically insignificant, indicating no direct substitution at the aggregate or long-term deposit level. Bank size and loan-to-deposit ratio are the most consistent determinants across all models. Non-performing loans negatively affect depositor confidence. The COVID-19 pandemic dampened deposit growth and total deposit accumulation but exerted limited influence on current and savings deposit levels. These findings suggest that MFS and traditional banking are complementary rather than substitutive, and that well-designed policy interventions can harness MFS-driven financial inclusion to strengthen rather than undermine the deposit base of commercial banks in Bangladesh.

The research investigated the degree to which client appraisal relate to financial sustainability among Microfinance Institutions in Tanzania. Grounded on Resource Based View Theory, the study employed an explanatory research design whereby data was collected from a sample of 291 microfinance institutions from Dodoma, Iringa and Shinyanga regions. Semi-structured questionnaire in form of 5-point Likert scale was used to collect data which were analysed through inferential method. Research findings revealed that credit terms negatively influenced financial sustainability, whereas integration capabilities significantly and positively affected financial sustainability. Research findings further revealed that introduction of dynamic capabilities into the structural model improved the coefficient of determination (R²) value from 0.150 to 0.218, confirming their moderating role. Specifically, integration capability amplified the positive impact of internal control (IIC → SI, β = 0.157, p = 0.006), while sensing and learning did not significantly alter base relationships.  Moreover, the research findings indicated that R² of 0.218 (adjusted R² = 0.175) accounted for approximately 22 percent of the variance in financial sustainability, reflecting the combined influence of loan delinquency strategies and dynamic capabilities.  The study concludes that financial sustainability of MFIs in Tanzania depended not only on internal management practices, but also on external environmental conditions and institutional maturity, thereby necessitating multi-level policy interventions. The study recommends that MFIs in Tanzania adopt context-sensitive credit policies, such as granting of grace periods or seasonal repayment structures, especially for clients in agriculture and informal sectors. Also, strengthening learning systems including provision of staff training, knowledge sharing, and performance reflection could complement integration capabilities to boost long-term sustainability. Finally, MFIs should adopt adaptive management frameworks that combine governance, data analytics, and collaborative networks to manage delinquency dynamics.

Small and medium-sized businesses, or SMMEs, are vital to the global economy because they foster innovation, job creation, and economic expansion. Their success and performance depend largely on external support from other organizations, including financial institutions. The objective of this research was to investigate the extent to which financial assistance affects SMMEs' overall performance. Officials from financial institutions and SMMEs in the Vhembe District Municipality comprised the study population. 16 research participants were chosen for the sample using stratified random sampling. An interview guide was used to gather data from the participants. Data was analysed using Atlas.ti. The results indicate that the effect of the financial support leads to business sustainability, business/ local economic growth, and relationship building. By encouraging SMMEs' sustainability and local economic growth in Vhembe District, where outside investment from financial institutions serves as a crucial enabler for innovation and job creation, this study emphasizes the importance of financial support in bolstering entrepreneurial ecosystems. It highlights the stakeholder links between financial officials and SMMEs, encouraging cooperative solutions that improve regional development plans and business performance.

Financial inclusion has been enhanced by the use of mobile money in the informal sector in many countries since the turn of the millennium, mostly by increasing financial use by the previously unbanked and those working in the informal sector. The study was motivated by the fact that there is an increase in mobile money use in the informal sector, and therefore, it ought to present the major determinants of mobile money use in Harare’s informal sector by traders operating in this sector. There is a need to look at the determinants of mobile money use by informal traders, as the transactions reported in this sector are significant to the economy. Data was collected from five districts within Harare using a questionnaire that was drawn from a simple random sample among 273 informal traders. A logistics regression model was used for the study model estimation. The findings were that gender, cost, awareness and group membership significantly determine mobile money use by informal traders in the sampled districts in Harare. Results obtained confirmed a priori economic expectations concerning variables in the chosen model. The significant variables were recommended to policymakers, new players intending to offer mobile money services and existing mobile money service providers. There is a need to understand the determinants of mobile money use by informal traders in order to produce relevant policies that further enhance financial inclusion.