Leader of Pakistan’s Microfinance Institution for Women: 'Societies that Fail to Invest in Their Women – Essentially 50 Percent of Their Work Force – Can Never Prosper or Develop'

Image courtesy: kashf.org

Q: Kashf was started in 1996 and was Pakistan's first microfinance institution. What inspired you to establish the organization?

Zafar: "Many factors impacted me in making the plunge in 1995 to set up an organization that specifically catered to women's financial needs. The first imperative was of course the fact that women in our society do not get the due acknowledgement they deserve for their contribution to the overall economy. Time and time again, during my travels while I worked for the World Bank in Pakistan, women from all walks of life would tell me the same thing, that they wanted a better life for themselves and their families; however, they lacked economic opportunity. This resonated across the country, from when I sat with shy and veiled women in Kalat in Baluchistan province to when I engaged with highly empowered and articulate women from the plains of the Punjab.

"The second was related to my own commitment. I had grown up in a Pakistan where I had not faced any discrimination on the basis of gender. I was and am strongly committed to the notion that we can build a world free of gender discrimination – that comes with two strategies, empowering women economically (providing them a financial voice) and investing in their social status (through education and health)."

Q: Although the Grameen Bank model has been tremendously successful in Bangladesh, there were many who believed that microfinance would not be as successful in Pakistan. Why do you think this may have been true in the past and how is the Kashf model different?

Zafar: "There are many firsts in the Kashf model. Kashf was the first to offer an array of women friendly products: loans for productive purposes, for consumption needs, insurance products and housing loans. We were the first to microfinance entity to become financially sustainable in 2003 as well as the first to raise loans from commercial banks.

"Our approach to financial services delivery has always been to build the business case for investing in women's economic development. There is no doubt that societies that fail to invest in their women – essentially 50 percent of their work force – can never prosper or develop."

Q: Have any of Pakistan's endemic issues hindered Kashf's growth? What have been some of the major obstacles Kashf has faced in the last 14 years?

Zafar: "Until 2008 we were able to grow our program at an average rate of 40-50 percent annually; however, the economic meltdown in 2008 combined with rapid inflation led to a major slowing down of operational outreach. Furthermore, in 2008, much like other sectors, the microfinance sector was impacted by the deteriorating economic and political situation.

"Additionally, the ability of microfinance users to make payments on their existing loans has been somewhat impaired, due to business failures and decreased economic activity that has reduced the quality of the microfinance portfolio in Pakistan.

"At the same time, the demand for microfinance loans has increased multifold as a result of inflation and the decline in the exchange rate, which means that people need larger loans to set up small businesses. The economic recession coupled with rising defaults and business failures amongst microfinance users has increased liquidity and refinancing risk for microfinance providers, both in terms of being able to raise additional funds and to meet current debt obligations. The recent ‘Banana skins' report taken out by Citibank... has revealed that credit risk is an emerging issue across the global microfinance sector, while costs of undertaking microfinance operations are negatively affecting the sustainability of many institutions.

"Microfinance providers also face a high level of political risk as there is an increased perception of the dwindling writ of the state and a deteriorating security situation [in Pakistan]. Additionally, a precedent for popular mobilization has been set which increases the risk of political intervention in the microfinance sector as different tiers of government are largely unclear of the role microfinance has on pro-poor growth. There has also been an increased tendency of governments and political parties to introduce populist unsustainable income support programs, which suffer from typical targeting and rent-seeking symptoms, and are contrary to the spirit of sustainable financial services. Consequently, uncertainties stemming from the political set-up have adversely affected the economy, especially microfinance providers."

"We Hire Men and Women Fresh Out of College, Who Then Become Harbingers of Change Within Their Communities"

Q: Kashf Foundation hires many young Pakistanis who work as loan officers for the organisation. What has been your experience working and mentoring these young officers and what has inspired them to work on the ground?

Zafar: "I would not describe it as any other way but inspirational. It is for us to give hope, encouragement, and positivity to the youth of Pakistan. At Kashf, we hire men and women fresh out of college, who then become harbingers of change within their communities. The fact that they are part of a socially responsible institution unleashes their inner and latent potential. I have seen loan officers get promoted to area managers in a matter of years. In Pakistan we don't lack talent; we lack good institutions to harness that talent. We have to focus on building institutions that can provide opportunities to young people, and at the same time we have to build their entrepreneurship skills. For this reason, we decided to initiate a youth empowerment program at Kashf."

Q: What have been some of the organization's greatest successes?

Zafar: "The most rewarding part of my work has been seeing real life changes. Only a few weeks ago I was visiting Kasur, an area hemmed very close to the Indian border, and which is famous for its leather works. I had the opportunity to visit a mature client, Baji Jamila, who has been working with us for the past seven years. I entered the courtyard of her small house, and saw Baji Jamila busy in the small antechamber that she had converted into a mini loom factory.

"Six years ago, Jamila had invested in a small spindle machine, which she purchased secondhand for U.S. $150 to spool thread, package it, and sell it in the local market. This business had proved quite profitable and she now has four such spindles working simultaneously, spooling different colored thread. Jamila's husband, Muhammad Mansha, seeing the success of his wife's business left his job as a small-time clerk and began working for her, taking care of purchasing the raw thread and getting it dyed while she ran the spindles and managed the 20 women who work for her to package the thread. It's stories like these that really warm one's heart and make one realize that the impossible is possible.

"Overall, we have seen a successful ramping up of our program and since 1996 have disbursed loans to one million entrepreneurs across the country and provided U.S. $225 million in working capital. We have also seen that over 60 percent of our clients invest in new businesses, which has a multiplier effect on the local economy. Within the family this leads to higher income, higher savings and lower food vulnerability and often it translates into better education and healthcare of children."

Q: Where do you see Kashf in the next five years?

Zafar: "Our aim is to reach out to 650,000 active clients by 2014."