This paper argues that the study of the demand for financial services in developing countries leaves out part of the story if it looks at only one of the three elements of the so-called finance trinity—that is, savings products, loans and insurance—as is largely done in the literature. In...

The uptake of microinsurance in developing countries falls short of projections, which has recently made stakeholders focus on client value. This article investigates when and why clients of a micro life insurance product in Ghana perceive value, using data from focus group discussions. We show...

This article investigates the understandings and perceptions of (micro)insurance among lowincome people in southern Ghana, using evidence from four focus group discussions. It analyzes how the focus group participants think about various types of insurance – among them a micro life insurance...

This paper argues that the study of the demand for financial services in developing countries leaves out part of the story, if it looks at only one of the three elements of the so called finance trinity, i.e. savings products, loans, or insurances, as is largely done in the literature. In...

In recent years, a debate about the potential of decentralisation for poverty alleviation has set off among academics and policy-makers. It is often claimed that decentralisation can be effective for improvements in welfare and hence the reduction of poverty. For example, the World Bank explains...

This paper aims to understand the role of micro-insurance as an element of social protection. It outlines the current status of micro-insurance provision in Ghana and Sri Lanka, two countries with very different socio-cultural backgrounds. It concludes that both countries are unlikely to extend...

This paper explores welfare dynamics among households in rural Mozambique. Using household panel data, we test whether an asset-based poverty trap exists. Findings indicate that all rural households converge to one stable equilibrium in the medium term, which is close to the poverty line. This...

How do households cope with post-war economic reconstruction? Are groups of households trapped in poverty? These questions are discussed using the case of Mozambique, a nation in Southern Africa. Shortly after gaining independence in 1975, Mozambique delved into a civil war that lasted until...