Microfinance has been a lifeline for many people living at the base of the pyramid. A new set of films developed by IFC in Bosnia andHerzegovina, Tajikistan, and the Kyrgyz Republic shows how microfinance can help people recover from conflict, empower women, and support rural development- and how the sector is addressing its challenges. The films draw on industry experts to provide a realistic assessment of the impact of the sector but also to discuss how the industry is addressing the challenges it faces. In Kyrgyzstan, the industry has addressed the challenge of lending to people in rural areas with limited collateral. The films were the brainchild of Rolf Behrndt, Regional Business LineManager - Access to Finance in ECA. IFC Advisory Services in ECA workswith a number of microfinance institutions across the region helpingthem transform into deposit-taking organizations and strengthen andexpand their businesses, with policymakers and industry bodies toimprove the regulatory environment for microfinance, and recently with the microfinance industry to introduce responsible lending practices.