4398 - Helen Alinsub, 42, member of Grameen Bank Club, Libon, Philippines.

7572 - Beneficiaries of micro-credit savings club dancing near Bembereke, Benin.

5350 - Women’s savings club/credit union, Kottayam, Kerala, India.

N07np3120 - Shihile Women’s Awareness Group, Kathmandu, Nepal.

N07np3146 - Shihile Women’s Awareness Group, Kathmandu, Nepal.

N07np3161 - Shihile Women’s Awareness Group, Kathmandu, Nepal.

N06in122 - Sisters of Ms Sujata Shivcharan, Bridge Course, Soypur Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India.

N06in124 - Sisters of Ms Sujata Shivcharan, Bridge Course, Soypur Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India.

N06in125 - Sisters of Ms Sujata Shivcharan, Bridge Course, Soypur Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India.

N06in126 - Sisters of Ms Sujata Shivcharan, Bridge Course, Soypur Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India.

N06in053 - Women’s Self Help and Microcedit Savings Group, Raunakhurd Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India.

N07np2649 - Savings book and monthly contribution for Milijuli cooperative women’s savings group, Kathmandu, Nepal.

N06in049 - Street Theater, Women’s Self Help and Microcedit Savings Group, Raunakhurd Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India.

N06in050 - Street Theater, Women’s Self Help and Microcedit Savings Group, Raunakhurd Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India.

N06in054 - Street Theater, Women’s Self Help and Microcedit Savings Group, Raunakhurd Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India.

N07np3194 - Making monthly contribution of 100 Nepalese Rupees (approx US$1.50) at Shihile Women’s Awareness Group, Kathmandu, Nepal.

N07np3209 - Making monthly contribution of 100 Nepalese Rupees (approx US$1.50) at Shihile Women’s Awareness Group, Kathmandu, Nepal.

N06in044 - Members of Women’s Self Help and Microcredit Savings Group, Raunakhurd Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India.

N06in045 - Members of Women’s Self Help and Microcredit Savings Group, Raunakhurd Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India.

N06in046 - Members of Women’s Self Help and Microcredit Savings Group, Raunakhurd Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India.

N06in047 - Members of Women’s Self Help and Microcredit Savings Group, Raunakhurd Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India.

N06in051 - Members of Women’s Self Help and Microcredit Savings Group, Raunakhurd Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India.

N06in052 - Members of Women’s Self Help and Microcredit Savings Group, Raunakhurd Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India.

N06in055 - Members of Women’s Self Help and Microcredit Savings Group, Raunakhurd Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India.

N07np2678 - Ressam Roka, 26, with her Milijuli cooperative savings book and monthly contribution, Milijuli office, Thapathali, Kathmandu, Nepal.

663 - Women’s savings and loan club, North-Eastern province, Thailand.

N06in048 - Members of Women’s Self Help Group conducting meeting. Standing: Ms Prabhabati Devi, age 40. Raunakhurd Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India.

7579 - Micro-credit savings club beneficiaries counting their money near Bembereke, Benin.

7571 - Beneficiary of micro-credit savings club holding money which she has taken on loan near Bembereke, Benin.

km05158 - Savings club and micro credit group holding a meeting, Kampong Thom, Cambodia.

km05157 - Savings club and micro credit group holding a meeting, Kampong Thom, Cambodia.

km05160 - Savings club and micro credit group holding a meeting, Kampong Thom, Cambodia.

N07np2659 - Sathi Shrestha, treasurer of Milijuli cooperative women’s savings group, recording monthly contribution from Menaka Pachhai, 34, mother of 3. Milijuli office, Thapathali, Kathmandu, Nepal.

7580 - Micro-credit savings club beneficiaries counting their money near Bembereke, Benin.

km05169 - Savings club and micro credit group holding a meeting, Kampong Thom, Cambodia.

N06in119 - Saiyad Women’s Self Help Group, Soypur Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India.

km05163 - Savings club and micro credit group holding a meeting, Kampong Thom. Woman with her savings book, Cambodia.

N06in113 - Saiyad Women’s Self Help Group, Soypur Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India.

5362 - Women with their babies at a village savings club meeting, Tamil Nadu, India.

km05164 - Woman holding savings book at a savings club and micro credit group holding a meeting, Kampong Thom, Cambodia.

km05161 - Savings club and micro credit group holding a meeting, Kampong Thom, Cambodia.

km05170 - Savings club and micro credit group holding a meeting, Kampong Thom, Cambodia.

km05167 - Local NGO leader talking to villagers about micro credit. Kampong Thom, Cambodia.

km05173 - Micro credit recipient: shop, from loan taken by Deung Sa Mi (31) mother of 3, Cambodia.

km05159 - Savings club and micro credit group holding a meeting, Kampong Thom, Cambodia.

km05175 - Micro credit recipient, bought a small shop, from loan taken by Cherock (35), Cambodia.

N06in121 - Ms Manara Pheku, age 60, incense maker Her husband is age 70 and retired. She has three girls and one boy. One girl is married. Her son lives with her, and is employed in a fan making factory. She took a loan of 200Rs for health care expenses. Member of Saiyad Women’s Self Help Group, Soypur Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India.

N06in120 - Ms Manara Pheku, age 60, incense maker Her husband is age 70 and retired. She has three girls and one boy. One girl is married. Her son lives with her, and is employed in a fan making factory. She took a loan of 200Rs for health care expenses. Member of Saiyad Women’s Self Help Group, Soypur Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India.

km05172 - Micro credit project: shop, from loan taken by Deung Sa Mi (31) mother of 3, Cambodia.

km05174 - Micro credit recipient, bought a small shop, from loan taken by Cherock (35), Cambodia.

N06in117 - Ms Radha Srinath holding savings book and monthly contribution, age 45, incense maker Her husband is 55 and works as a mason. She has three girls and two boys, all of whom are married. She took a loan of 500Rs for health care for her brother. Member of Saiyad Women’s Self Help Group, Soypur Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India.

N06in116 - Ms Radha Srinath, age 45, incense maker Her husband is 55 and works as a mason. She has three girls and two boys, all of whom are married. She took a loan of 500Rs for health care for her brother. Member of Saiyad Women’s Self Help Group, Soypur Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India.

N06in118 - Ms Radha Srinath, age 45, incense maker Her husband is 55 and works as a mason. She has three girls and two boys, all of whom are married. She took a loan of 500Rs for health care for her brother. Member of Saiyad Women’s Self Help Group, Soypur Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India.

N06in111 - Ms Manu Suresh, age 25, does beading and incense making for employment. Her husband is a sari maker using a machine loom, age 28. She has two boys and one girl. She took a loan of 300Rs for health care costs for her child. Member of Saiyad Women’s Self Help Group, Soypur Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India.

N06in112 - Ms Manu Suresh, age 25, does beading and incense making for employment. Her husband is a sari maker using a machine loom, age 28. She has two boys and one girl. She took a loan of 300Rs for health care costs for her child. Member of Saiyad Women’s Self Help Group, Soypur Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India.

N06in110 - Ms Manu Suresh, age 25, does beading and incense making for employment. Her husband is a sari maker using a machine loom, age 28. She has two boys and one girl. She took a loan of 300Rs for health care costs for her child. Member of Saiyad Women’s Self Help Group, Soypur Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India.

N06in056 - Ms Prabhabati Devi, age 40, a member of Women’s Self Help and Microcedit Savings group and Ms Archana, age 10, the youngest child of Ms Prabhabati. Ms Prabhabati has six children, her husband is a laborer. She cares for two cows and the family. The name of the SHG she is in is Mahila Vikas Swayan Sahayata Samuh. She borrowed 500Rs for her son to apply to Intercollege. ’Before joining the SHG, we were afraid of outsiders, and would have been very scared by your visit. However, through participation in the SHG, we have been educated, and have more understand of the outside world.’ ’Before joining the SHG, I was less involved in decision making. Now I have more than twice the influence in the home. My husband respects me more, and if I have any problem, I have 18 colleagues to support me.’ ’The women’s group has the courage and power to call upon people who have done bad things. We make them admit it to the community, and promise not to do it again.’ Group, Raunakhurd Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India.

N06in114 - Ms Malti Gopal, age 35, blind, previously selling liquor. Malti has two girls and two boys, one of whom is adult. Her husband is an amputee. One of her boys is a laborer, providing income for the family. She borrowed 200Rs for her daughter’s marriage. Member of Saiyad Women’s Self Help Group, Soypur Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India.

N06in115 - Ms Malti Gopal hodling savings book and monthly contribution, age 35, blind, previously selling liquor. Malti has two girls and two boys, one of whom is adult. Her husband is an amputee. One of her boys is a laborer, providing income for the family. She borrowed 200Rs for her daughter’s marriage. Member of Saiyad Women’s Self Help Group, Soypur Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India.

N06in057 - Ms Sunita Devi, age 22 , her husband is 25, laborer. Ms Sabitri (step-mother), age 35, and infant boy, (7 months) Chaviraj. Her husband is a laborer. Sunita and Sabitri work together buying fruit and vegetables from the market and reselling them in the village. They borrowed 500Rs to start this business, and paid back the loan in two months. ’I am now able to meet my regular expenditures. Before, I had to borrow money to pay for some living costs. I now have my own small private savings, and I can afford to pay the monthly SHG contribution.’ Members of Women’s Self Help and Microcredit Savings Group, Raunakhurd Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India.

N06in058 - Ms Sunita Devi, age 22, her husband is a 25 year old laborer. Ms Sabitri (step-mother), age 35, and infant boy (7 months) Chaviraj. Her husband is a laborer. Sunita and Sabitri work together buying fruit and vegetables from the market and reselling them in the village. They borrowed 500Rs to start this business, and paid back the loan in two months. ’I am now able to meet my regular expenditures. Before, I had to borrow money to pay for some living costs. I now have my own small private savings, and I can afford to pay the monthly SHG contribution.’ Members of Women’s Self Help and Microcredit Savings Group, Raunakhurd Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India.

N06in059 - Ms Sunita Devi, age 22 Husband is 25, laborer Ms Sabitri (step-mother), age 35, and infant boy (7 months) Chaviraj. Her husband is a laborer. Sunita and Sabitri work together buying fruit and vegetables from the market and reselling them in the village. They borrowed 500Rs to start this business, and paid back the loan in two months. ’I am now able to meet my regular expenditures. Before, I had to borrow money to pay for some living costs. I now have my own small private savings, and I can afford to pay the monthly SHG contribution.’ Members of Women’s Self Help and Microcredit Savings Group, Raunakhurd Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India.

N06in123 - Ms Sujata Shivcharan, age 13, middle, green dress, with some of her family. Sujata is the youngest child, with six sisters and three brothers. Four sisters and two brothers are married. Her father is unemployed. Her mother is an incense maker. Her brother contributes to family income as a seasonal house painter. Seven people live in her home. She has been in the bridge program for three years, and is now starting class 6 at the government school. ’I am happy to learn to read and write. Previously I went to the government school, but it was not effective, so I came here, and I have now returned to government school after completing the bridge course.’ ’I like the bridge course because the lessons are repeated and each Saturday we have games.’ ’Prior to the bridge course, I had no interest to study, but since joining, I am inspired to study more.’ ’My favorite subject is Hindi, and when I grow up I want to be a Hindi teacher.’ Sujata now pays 10Rs a month to attend government school six hours a day. The school is 1km from her home. Student of Bridge Course, Soypur Village, Varanasi District, Uttar Pradesh, India.