Poverty and Globalization in Latin America - Case Study: Bolivia and Nicaragua

The case study details the investigations conducted during the Program of Development and Research in Bolivia and Nicaragua in the Latin American region. The objective of the program was to examine those practices which could help direct the focus of microfinance programs towards poverty relief in these two countries. The aim was to dissect the causes of poverty, the cause and effect of economic crisis in these regions, and the role that globalization can play in the development of MFI.

The case study also summarizes four subprograms, three of which are about:

• Poverty and globalization;
• Understanding the experiences of microfinance companies in understanding poverty; and
• Globalization and its relationship to the unique microfinance environment in each country.

The program was precipitated due to the need to find updated and reliable information on the microcredit market in Latin America, and to document the successful experiences, and evolution of the social and economic development in these countries.