Microfinance involves providing small amounts of credit, savings, and insurance services to the poor. The concept originated in the 1970s when Dr. Muhammad Yunus lent money without collateral to groups of poor women in Bangladesh, achieving a 98% repayment rate. Today there are over 7,000 microfinance institutions globally serving 16 million poor households. In India, pioneering microfinance organizations included cooperatives like SEWA Bank. The SHG-Bank linkage model aggregates individual savings and provides loans through self-help groups. While microfinance has increased incomes and reduced vulnerability, issues sometimes arise from high interest rates, unethical collection practices, and uneven geographic growth.