World Bank2012-08-132012-08-131999-06https://hdl.handle.net/10986/9865The Ghana Microfinance Institution (MFI) action research network brings together organizations interested in providing financial services to the poor in Ghana. With World Bank support, the network carried out this study which provides brief descriptions of the innovations that informal, semi-formal, and formal MFIs have developed in providing financial services to female entrepreneurs in Ghana. It also makes recommendations on how such services can be strengthened and improved.CC BY 3.0 IGOADBAGRICULTURAL DEVELOPMENTBANKING INSTITUTIONSBANKING SECTORBANKSBENEFICIARIESBUDGETINGCAPACITY BUILDINGCAPITAL ADEQUACYCAPITAL ADEQUACY RATIOSCAPITAL BASECASH COLLATERALCOLLATERALCOLLECTION SERVICESCOMMERCIAL BANKCOMMUNITY BANKCOMMUNITY BANKSCONCESSIONARY RATECREDIT PROGRAMCREDIT PROVISIONCREDIT UNIONSDEPOSITDEPOSITORSDEPOSITSDEVELOPMENT BANKDISBURSEMENTEMPLOYMENTEMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIESENTREPRENEURSHIPFINANCIAL INSTITUTIONSFINANCIAL INTERMEDIATIONFINANCIAL MANAGEMENTFINANCIAL SERVICEFINANCIAL SERVICESGENDERGROUP LENDINGHUNGERINCIDENCE OF POVERTYINCOMEINCOMESINSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENTINTEREST RATEINTEREST RATESINTEREST RATES ON LOANSJOINT LIABILITYLITERACY LEVELSLOANLOAN DECISIONSLOAN REPAYMENTLOAN REPAYMENTSLOAN SIZEMANAGEMENT INFORMATION SYSTEMSMEDICAL BILLSMICRO-FINANCEMICRO-FINANCE INSTITUTIONSMICROFINANCEMICROFINANCE INSTITUTIONNGOSNUTRITIONPEER PRESSUREPERSONAL EXPENSESPOORPORTFOLIOPORTFOLIO MANAGEMENTPORTFOLIOSPOVERTY REDUCTIONPOVERTY REDUCTION PROGRAMSREPAYMENT OF LOANSREPAYMENT RATERETURNSROSCASRURALRURAL AREASRURAL BANKRURAL COMMUNITIESRURAL TOWNSRURAL WOMENSAVINGSSAVINGS ACCOUNTSSAVINGS DEPOSITSSUSUTARGETINGTRANSACTIONTRANSACTION COSTTRANSACTION COSTSWORKING CAPITALWorld Bank10.1596/9865