Search

Despite a long history of diverse approaches designed to increase the adoption of improved cookstoves (ICS), multiple barriers continue to exist which stunt their uptake in many developing countries. This paper focuses specifically on the financial barriers facing actors within the ICS value chain, such as manufacturers, suppliers and distributors. Examining data from interviews with twenty nine ICS enterprises in Kenya and Uganda, this paper finds that limited access to credit services is a substantial barrier to increasing the capacity of businesses within the ICS value chain. In addition, data from twenty-seven financial providers including banks, microfinance institutions and savings and credit co-operatives (SACCOs) viewed the ICS market as relatively underserved and believed greater integration could be mutually beneficial. This paper explores the way in which this relationship plays out in current market conditions and how connections between the two sectors can be strengthened, with the objective of overcoming these financial challenges and expanding the capacity of ICS businesses as a mechanism to facilitate ICS uptake by local populations.

Despite a long history of diverse approaches designed to increase the adoption of improved cookstoves (ICS), multiple barriers continue to exist which stunt their uptake in many developing countries. This paper focuses specifically on the financial barriers facing actors within the ICS value chain, such as manufacturers, suppliers and distributors. Examining data from interviews with twenty nine ICS enterprises in Kenya and Uganda, this paper finds that limited access to credit services is a substantial barrier to increasing the capacity of businesses within the ICS value chain. In addition, data from twenty-seven financial providers including banks, microfinance institutions and savings and credit co-operatives (SACCOs) viewed the ICS market as relatively underserved and believed greater integration could be mutually beneficial. This paper explores the way in which this relationship plays out in current market conditions and how connections between the two sectors can be strengthened, with the objective of overcoming these financial challenges and expanding the capacity of ICS businesses as a mechanism to facilitate ICS uptake by local populations.

Despite a long history of diverse approaches designed to increase the adoption of improved cookstoves (ICS), multiple barriers continue to exist which stunt their uptake in many developing countries. This paper focuses specifically on the financial barriers facing actors within the ICS value chain, such as manufacturers, suppliers and distributors. Examining data from interviews with twenty nine ICS enterprises in Kenya and Uganda, this paper finds that limited access to credit services is a substantial barrier to increasing the capacity of businesses within the ICS value chain. In addition, data from twenty-seven financial providers including banks, microfinance institutions and savings and credit co-operatives (SACCOs) viewed the ICS market as relatively underserved and believed greater integration could be mutually beneficial. This paper explores the way in which this relationship plays out in current market conditions and how connections between the two sectors can be strengthened, with the objective of overcoming these financial challenges and expanding the capacity of ICS businesses as a mechanism to facilitate ICS uptake by local populations.

Despite a long history of diverse approaches designed to increase the adoption of improved cookstoves (ICS), multiple barriers continue to exist which stunt their uptake in many developing countries. This paper focuses specifically on the financial barriers facing actors within the ICS value chain, such as manufacturers, suppliers and distributors. Examining data from interviews with twenty nine ICS enterprises in Kenya and Uganda, this paper finds that limited access to credit services is a substantial barrier to increasing the capacity of businesses within the ICS value chain. In addition, data from twenty-seven financial providers including banks, microfinance institutions and savings and credit co-operatives (SACCOs) viewed the ICS market as relatively underserved and believed greater integration could be mutually beneficial. This paper explores the way in which this relationship plays out in current market conditions and how connections between the two sectors can be strengthened, with the objective of overcoming these financial challenges and expanding the capacity of ICS businesses as a mechanism to facilitate ICS uptake by local populations.

Despite a long history of diverse approaches designed to increase the adoption of improved cookstoves (ICS), multiple barriers continue to exist which stunt their uptake in many developing countries. This paper focuses specifically on the financial barriers facing actors within the ICS value chain, such as manufacturers, suppliers and distributors. Examining data from interviews with twenty nine ICS enterprises in Kenya and Uganda, this paper finds that limited access to credit services is a substantial barrier to increasing the capacity of businesses within the ICS value chain. In addition, data from twenty-seven financial providers including banks, microfinance institutions and savings and credit co-operatives (SACCOs) viewed the ICS market as relatively underserved and believed greater integration could be mutually beneficial. This paper explores the way in which this relationship plays out in current market conditions and how connections between the two sectors can be strengthened, with the objective of overcoming these financial challenges and expanding the capacity of ICS businesses as a mechanism to facilitate ICS uptake by local populations.

This thesis explores the variety of barriers to accessing microfinance that people with disabilities in Uganda experience. The research is based upon both quantitative and qualitative data collected in the capital Kampala in 2014, and comprises of 223 questionnaires with people who have a permanent physical disability and 26 interviews with representatives of both microfinance institutions and disabled persons organisations in Uganda. Analysis of the quantitative data suggests that people with disabilities are able to access credit from formal financial providers such as commercial banks, microfinance institutions and savings and credit cooperatives, but at lower rates than the national average. Despite dominant narratives of microfinance which promote it as means to reduce financial exclusion, just 5% of the survey sample of people with disabilities had gained access to credit through a microfinance institution. The thesis goes on to examine the multitude of factors which impact the ability of people with disabilities to access such services, including the affordability of credit, the design of financial products, physical accessibility, social discrimination and self-exclusion. It also provides an assessment of the ways in which such barriers may be reduced, for example, through the employment of field agents, greater utilisation of mobile money platforms and the design of specific products targeted at people with disabilities. In addition, the research considers the impact that commercialisation has had on the microfinance sector in Uganda, and in particular the effect a move to a for-profit model has had on the accessibility of microfinance for people with disabilities. The thesis concludes by offering specific recommendations to reduce barriers to access, including collecting increased levels of data on current usage of small-scale loans by people with disabilities, strengthening relationships between disability organisations and microfinance institutions, and

This archival material has been provided for educational purposes. Ball State University Libraries recognizes that some historic items may include offensive content. Our statement regarding objectionable content is available at: https://dmr.bsu.edu/digital/about