Self-Help Perspectives - Issue 12

Defying the double dip

From the fryer to the fuel tank

With a little green, Blue Ridge Biofuels is advancing clean energy in North Carolina, sustainably.

What happens when entrepreneurs pay back loans?

Lenders roll the money back into the economy, helping others get a business plan off the ground, sustain an enterprise, or hire more full-time employees.

That at least is Self-Help's economic model, which continues to expand....

Banking the unbanked in California

Citi invests in Micro Branch concept

San Jose, like much of California, has disproportionately large populations of unbanked and underbanked people. Many in these communities rely on relatively expensive and less regulated financial services such as check cashing and payday lending, both of which raise the cost of being poor.

Fortunately, there is way to bridge the unbanked to full-service banking. See how Citi and Self-Help teamed up to tackle the issue, and be sure to check out this recent video published by The Economist.

Assisted living

Quality care requires capital

Kudzai Mabunda (right) leads bingo for residents of Kay FCH

Elderly, disabled, mentally ill - where do you go if you need looking after? Read Kudzai Mabunda's story.

Overdraft protection: the penalty that trumps the crime

While federal policy makers consider tighter regulations on overdraft programs, many banks and credit unions continue to draw heavily on them for the fee income they generate. That comes at a substantial cost to consumers, especially young, single and non-white depositors, studies show.

Self-Help's Center for Responsible Lending (CRL), a research and policy affiliate, has for years challenged both lenders and regulators to make these programs less taxing on those who live on the fringe. This summer brought an encouraging update...