Reaching Rural Areas with Financial Services: Lessons from Financial Cooperatives in Brazil, Burkina Faso, Kenya, and Sri Lanka

This collection of case studies shows that financial cooperatives (FCs) can provide financial services in developing rural areas and still be profitable. FCs with a high level of integration among themselves and with their federations appear to provide a broader range of financial services and have better operational systems. Finally, the case studies reinforce that FCs operate more smoothly under prudential regulation and financial supervision.