Leading the Clients: Assessing the Importance of the Loan Officer in a Microfinance Program

Abstract

Microfinance programs can improve the economic, social, and spiritual conditions of the poor. Survey responses from more than 29,000 microfinance clients are used here to study what impact the loan officer may have on advancement of this so called triple bottom line. The study seeks to identify what, if any, improvement in the economic, social, and spiritual conditions of the borrowers depends on the staff member administering the loan. While a general improvement in all three conditions over the course of the program is clear in the data, no conclusive evidence is found that this is due to the loan officer.