ABSTRACT
Microfranchising offers a potential for poverty reduction that far surpasses any existing programmes run by the traditional Non-governmental organisations that control so much of the aid industry. By bringing together market forces with a firm social emphasis, microfranchising offers a scope for major socioeconomic transformation on a large scale. There is a need for greater collaboration between microfranchises in order to share techniques and learning and ensure quality control. Funders and investors are often in a hurry to see significant quantitative results and do not always understand that building a healthy, functioning microfranchise takes time, effort and perseverance. Developing countries will need more than just microfranchising if they want to grow in a sustainable manner in the long term. Nevertheless, small businesses are at the heart of a healthy economy and often provide the jobs that keep families clothed and fed.
