Helping the poor to help themselves: The United Nations has named 2005 the Year of Microcredit-referring to small loans that assist developing countries--and Switzerland is jumping on board. Swiss News takes a closer look at how these loans are helping poor countries as well as Swiss entrepreneurs.

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Helping the poor to help themselves: The United Nations has named 2005 the Year of Microcredit-referring to small loans that assist developing countries--and Switzerland is jumping on board. Swiss News takes a closer look at how these loans are helping poor countries as well as Swiss entrepreneurs.

Microcredit refers to a small amount of money which is loaned to a client, often without collateral. In the developing world, these sums have given a financial leg-up to half a billion people, and have gone a long way to alleviating poverty. The resulting so-called 'microenterprises' account for 80 per cent of all businesses in those countries. Switzerland is marking the year by encouraging ...

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