Mr. Mohieldin and his team of World Bank representatives visited Ujjivan on 6th December, 2011. In Bangalore he visited Infosys & Ujjivan. One of the objectives of this trip was to see the successful models of microfinance at work both the SHG programs promoted by state governments and NBFC-MFI joint liability & individual loan programs. World Bank is a larger funder of microfinance programs in India.

Mr.Mohieldin is responsible for the Bank’s knowledge development as represented through the Networks: Finance and Private Sector Development; Sustainable Development; Poverty Reduction and Economic Management; and Human Development; and the World Bank Institute.  He is World Bank’s representative at the G20 Deputies’ Meetings, and oversees the Bank’s work in support of the G20 agenda.

He visited the Koramangala Branch and had an intense interaction with customers for an hour, on their borrowing, savings, their enterprise, ownership of assets including gold. He enquired the purposes for which they have taken loans, their literacy levels, and understanding of Sankalp, Ujjivan’s financial literacy film, on over-borrowing, ghost lending and credit bureau. These customers had taken loans for business, children’s education, safe drinking water (Pure-it); a few had taken Individual Business loans and loans under the revised group guarantee lending model (Mera Loan). One of the customers had also received and utilised the insurance claim for her husband’s death. He also observed loan disbursements to a customer group.

Mr.Mohieldin then visited the Head Office and was keen to know more about Ujjivan’s proactive steps in the handling of the sector crisis and fall out, and was impressed by the Social Development Program. He showed keen interest in the Financial Literacy programs: Sankalp & Diksha conducted by Parinaam Foundation. He enquired if the stories shown in Sankalp could be incorporated in mainstream TV programs or movies. He discussed the financial literacy programs in detail and recommended that Sa-Dhan or MFIN should take on the task of such training across the sector, which could be funded by the World Bank.