When Women’s World Banking began in 1979, its founders had a simple but far-reaching plan: help women around the globe become full participants in the economy of their countries.Thirty years later, it has proudly stayed true to this guiding vision while also establishing Women’s World Banking as the pre-eminent international voice for women in microfinance.

Under the leadership of Michaela Walsh, the organization’s first president, Women’s World Banking assisted its earliest network members as they grew from small non-profit organizations into thriving microfinance institutions (MFIs). Today, our global network of 40 financial institutions in 28 countries serves more than 23 million clients, 74 percent of whom are women. In 2009, WWB network members had an outstanding loan portfolio of more than $4.5 billion. WWB is also the only microfinance network explicitly focused on gender diversity and leadership in the microfinance industry, and in 2009 launched the Center for Microfinance Leadership to help network members maintain and enhance gender diversity.

The WWB network is supported by a global team based in New York City that works closely with our member institutions to develop innovative business strategies, strengthen their organizations, and create products that best meet the needs of the poor in the communities they serve. Microfinance is context-specific and ultimately driven at the local level by individual MFIs. However, there is an exponential benefit to MFIs leveraging each other’s resources and expertise through a global network. By offering technical advice, assisting with market research and product diversification, and connecting MFIs with capital markets, a network can help MFIs develop institutional capacity and grow to scale in ways they could not on their own. WWB’s network members are secure in the knowledge that as they pursue large-scale social change— poverty alleviation through the economic empowerment of women—they are supported by an entire network of peer organizations that share their collective vision.