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Tools and guides

Credit and loans for small businesses – a Pillars guide

How to plan and maintain savings and credit groups

2005 Available in English, French, Portuguese and Spanish

Local savings group in Cambodia

Local savings group in Cambodia. Photo: Jamie Fyleman

Pillars magazines on a desk

From: Pillars guides

Practical, discussion-based learning on community development for small groups

The aim of this guide is to help small groups and organisations:

  • to gain an understanding of a variety of ways of obtaining either credit or loans
  • to establish good practice in record-keeping and planning
  • to study the issues involved before establishing either informal savings or credit groups or obtaining loans from outside organisations

Anticipated outcomes

  • groups enabled to gain understanding and confidence in managing their resources and finances effectively
  • appropriate officers to be appointed within groups supported by relevant skills training in record-keeping and accounts
  • local groups encouraged to establish systems of microcredit that are appropriate to their needs and resources, either with or without outside intervention

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