Mr. Vijay Gurung and Mr. Govinda Raut from Muktinath Bank

Note: the interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.

Last month I had the opportunity to conduct a final round of partner visits in Bangladesh and Nepal as MEDA’s INNOVATE project is in its final months of implementation . It was eye-opening to visit farmers in rural Bangladesh who received and used a bank loan for the first time; and to hear diverse perspectives and challenges from financial institution partners in both Bangladesh and in Nepal.