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Credit access and life satisfaction: evaluating the nonmonetary effects of micro finance

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  • Leonardo Becchetti
  • Pierluigi Conzo

Abstract

Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) are used to claim that their impact goes beyond money since rescuing from exclusion uncollateralized poor borrowers significantly affects their dignity, self-esteem, social recognition, future economic perspectives and, through it, life satisfaction. Our article aims to verify the validity of this claim by evaluating whether access to microfinance loans has significant direct impact on life satisfaction beyond its indirect impact via current income changes. Empirical findings on a sample of poor borrowers in the suburbs of Buenos Aires show that, after controlling for survivorship, selection and interview bias, microfinance membership has a significant and positive effect on life satisfaction.

Suggested Citation

  • Leonardo Becchetti & Pierluigi Conzo, 2013. "Credit access and life satisfaction: evaluating the nonmonetary effects of micro finance," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(9), pages 1201-1217, March.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:applec:45:y:2013:i:9:p:1201-1217
    DOI: 10.1080/00036846.2011.624086
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Bhuiyan, Muhammad Faress & Ivlevs, Artjoms, 2019. "Micro-entrepreneurship and subjective well-being: Evidence from rural Bangladesh," Journal of Business Venturing, Elsevier, vol. 34(4), pages 625-645.
    2. Akoété Ega Agbodji & Yélé Maweki Batana & Dénis Ouedraogo, 2015. "Gender inequality in multidimensional welfare deprivation in West Africa: The case of Burkina Faso and Togo," International Journal of Social Economics, Emerald Group Publishing, vol. 42(11), pages 980-1004, November.

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