The WSBI understands by microcredits small size uncollateralized or weakly collateralised loans pro- vided to vulnerable people for economic and social empowerment through income and employment generation8 . Historically, savings banks did not succeed to introduce microcredit as a business line because they were in most cases statutorily prevented from lending. And where they could lend, savings banks have traditionally developed retail banking activities for low wage earners. For this reason, savings banks are consistently invisible in microfinance publications. Recently, a few of them started introducing microcredit schemes in order to serve this market and further demonstrate their commitment towards society.
