What do people know about microfinance? Radio Netherlands Worldwide asked a number of movers and shakers, experts and non-experts.

One of them is Dick Berlijn, former commander of the Dutch armed forces, who says people "sometimes need to be kick-started”.

What do you know about microcredit?
Not as much as I should, I’m afraid. A few years ago I attended the presentation of the Four Freedom Awards in Middelburg, and there was a man there - I forget his name, I think he was from India or Pakistan but I’m not entirely sure - who was active in that field. [Muhammad Yunus, ed.]. That was really the first time I consciously heard about the subject and realised how important it was.

Is microfinance a solution to poverty?
What I heard then was: it’s small scale, but it absolutely makes a contribution to revitalising a sector of society. So my answer would be yes.

Who benefits?
I think primarily the people receiving the loans. The intention is not to take people completely by the hand and tell them exactly what to do. No, you tap into the capabilities they have. And they know how to fend for themselves, but sometimes they need a kick-start, a bit of support to get over the top of the hill. That’s what microcredit does.

Do micro loans reach the people who most need them?
Again, I have to go by what I was told then. And I would have to say yes. But honesty dictates that I say I don’t remember all that much about the subject.

Have you ever been personally involved in microfinance?
No, but during the Dutch mission to Afghanistan we reached the conclusion that it was not just about defeating al-Qaeda or the Taliban, but rather about the question: how can we strengthen the population? How can we make them put their shoulders to the wheel and revitalise their society? At that time, we did not discuss microcredit, but we did talk about stimulating their strength. So, not by massive donations of large sums of money, but by listening to the population: what do you need? And that allows you to accomplish a lot with limited means.

More views on microfinance