In Episode 4 of the series, we meet Solène Podevin Favre, Global Director of Insurance at VisionFund International. Solène shares VFI’s experience designing and scaling inclusive insurance across Africa, Asia, and Latin America — covering what they’ve learned about co-creating trusted products with insurers and communities, and why partnership is key to building resilience for microfinance borrowers and NGO beneficiaries alike.
Key Topics Discussed
- Solène’s journey from public health to leading microinsurance in global markets
- How VisionFund bundles insurance with microcredit across 25 countries and 1 million borrowers
- Why health remains the top priority risk, even where national health schemes exist
- Climate and agricultural insurance products for farming communities
- Co-creation: listening to beneficiaries and field staff to design products that work
- Start simple, iterate fast, and don’t be afraid to change the product
- Sustainable partnerships between insurers, MFIs, and NGOs
About Our Guest
Solène Podevin Favre has been Global Director of Insurance for VisionFund International since 2019, supporting MFIs in setting up insurance operations for borrowers and families. She is also a board member of the Microinsurance Network. Before VFI, she founded and led the first microinsurance company in Cambodia (Prévoir), reaching 300,000 policies with a team of 147. She also ran a microinsurance programme for slum dwellers in Maharashtra, India, and worked on Cambodia’s National Social Security design. Solène holds a postgraduate degree in Public Health from EHESP.
Links for Further Reading
VisionFund Insurance: visionfund.org/our-focus/insurance
About Our Sponsor
CGAP is a global partnership of more than 40 development organizations working to advance the lives of people living in poverty through financial inclusion. Housed at the World Bank, it works at the frontier of inclusive finance to test solutions, spark innovation, generate evidence, and share insights. As a global public good, its independent research and analysis is available to all.
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Financial Inclusion Unlocked is produced by SIJ Media and hosted by Jack Farren.
