Study from 60 Decibels shows strong outcomes for families
Last year, we participated again in the 60 Decibels 2025 Microfinance (MFI) Index, one of the world’s largest independent studies capturing the voices of microfinance clients. The 2025 MFI Index draws on interviews with more than 24,450 clients across 39 countries, providing a globally comparable benchmark of how microfinance institutions are serving low-income families.
What the study means for families we support
Every year, 60 Decibels conducts an in-depth survey with clients from Opportunity International Australia’s microfinance partners. The most recent study included five of our local partners: Cashpor and Pahal in India, and BAV, KOMIDA and TLM in Indonesia. More than 1,300 clients shared their experiences, contributing to a broader sector-wide dataset covering over 100 MFIs globally.
This independent research matters because it gives us:
- Direct client feedback on satisfaction, protection, and outcomes of loans
- Reliable, third-party data to understand what’s working and where improvements are needed
- Clear guidance for strengthening products and services across our partner network.
Here are the key results from last year's study:
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8 out of 10 clients reported increased income and being better able to manage their finances. |
91% of clients reported improved quality of life, thanks to their loan. |
56% of clients are eating more or better-quality meals as a result of taking out a small loan. |
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3 out of 4 people have increased their savings.
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8 out of 10 people reported increased confidence after taking out a loan. |
7 out of 10 people reported spending less time worrying about their finances. |
What’s new in the 2025 survey
The most recent MFI Index included several new areas in the survey to help us deepen our understanding of client experience, including:
- Disability and refugee status to assess outreach to groups often excluded from financial services
- Goal achievement to understand whether clients met the objectives that motivated their loan
- Decision-making power to measure who controls loan use and whether agency is increasing
- Climate resilience to capture how climate events are affecting clients and what support they need.
Strong performance from Opportunity’s partners
Opportunity's local partners performed strongly in the study, with two MFI partners being recognised for their outstanding results:
- Cashpor was one of the top three MFIs in Asia and globally, with strong results in improvement to quality of life and increased savings.
- TLM Indonesia, which ranked first globally for outreach to low-income clients in 2024, was in the top five of Asian MFIs, recognised for their results in reaching clients from lower-income segments.
- Across all partners, Opportunity achieved an average Equitable Access score of 136%, compared to an Asian benchmark of 62% — a clear indicator of exceptional outreach to low-income and vulnerable clients.
Why this matters
The 60 Decibels Index reinforces what we believe: listening to clients leads to better outcomes. These insights help us strengthen our programs, support our partners, and ensure that families living in poverty receive financial services that genuinely improve their lives.
As Opportunity marks its 50th year in 2026, data and insights like this help us refine our programs to make an even more impactful future possible for the communities we serve.
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