Economics
The Impact of Microfinance Initiatives on Poverty Alleviation
Quick fact
Despite its popularity, rigorous studies show that microcredit has little to no measurable impact on lifting borrowers out of poverty on average, while some people do benefit by starting or expanding small businesses.
Why this is interesting
You've probably heard that giving small loans to the poor can lift them out of poverty. But what if the evidence tells a more complicated story?