Friday, September 28, 2007
Deutsche Bank, a global investment bank based in Germany, has launched “db Microfinance-Invest Nr. 1,” the world’s first externally rated securitization of subordinated microcredits. These subordinated loans will benefit 21 microfinance institutions (MFIs) in developing and emerging market countries.
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Thursday, September 27, 2007
The Rural Electrification Agency (REA) of Uganda, a semi-autonomous public-private partnership created by the Ugandan Government, has announced a 45% subsidy, up from the current 14%, on all solar power equipment. The subsidy will be will be promoted through a network of rural microfinance institutions (MFIs), and non-government organisations (NGOs), who will be providing a cash payout to those who install the solar systems, or a loan or a loan-offset.
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Thursday, September 20, 2007
MICROFINANCE FOR THE INSTITUTIONAL INVESTORJANUARY 14-15, 2008, NEW YORK, USA
The event, hosted by Financial Research Associates, is designed to help institutional investors understand the world of microfinance and allow them to identify low-risk market-rate returns while alleviating poverty. The conference will review microfinance institutions and capital management in-depth and will cover specific topics such as microfinance rating methodology, securitization techniques and portfolio risk reduction strategies. There will be speakers and keynote presentations from some of the leading microfinance players. Continue Reading »
Friday, September 7, 2007
The Grameen Foundation, a non-profit organization that tries to replicate the Grameen Bank microfinance model around the world through a global network of partner microfinance institutions, is relaunching its Village Phone initiative in Rwanda in collaboration with MTN Rwanda (a telecommunications company). The project, called Village Phone Rwanda Tel’imbere has four local microfinance institutions (MFIs) as partners. The project was initially launched in 2006, after a successful pilot scheme had run for a year. Continue Reading »
Thursday, September 6, 2007
The National Microfinance Bank of Tanzania has joined a syndicate of local banks and pension funds to lend USD 238million to Tanesco, the parastatal electricity company, wholly owned by the Tanzanian government, money which will be used to pay off debts to suppliers and invest in new equipment. Continue Reading »