Equitas Holdings Private Limited
Provide a financial needs assessment
Equitas operates as one of the most efficient and fastest-growing microfinance institutions in India with a goal of extending micro credit to low income households that are underserved by mainstream banking channels. The primary objective of Equitas is to make credit products available at a reasonable cost in a transparent manner.
The MAP team's main objective was to conduct a study to identify the financial services requirements of the base of the pyramid customers in Tamil Nadu; delve into the formal and informal sources of meeting these needs with respect to savings and credit utilization; and estimate a market demand for more formal financial services of the broader population.
In order to satisfy these objectives, primary research was conducted with a structured interview questionnaire and conducted in the urban and semi-urban areas of Tamil Nadu. The questionnaire focused on current income sources to aggregate gross family income, major short-term and long-term expenses, sources of borrowing to satisfy these expenses, and a range of financial products used.
From the questionnaire, major findings included low utilization of bank accounts, higher informal credit reliance, and lack of borrowing choices. The MAP team used these insights - and other data - to make specific recommendations to Equitas.
Project coordinated in partnership with the C.K. Prahalad Initiative.