Forbes, a American business and financial news magazine, presented the list of top 50 microfinance institutions (MFIs) of 2007 in its special feature on the private investment in the microfinance industry. Continue Reading »

Khushhali Bank (KB), a Pakistani microfinance institution, signed a contract to receive consulting, training and technology support of ShoreBank International, Limited (SBI), the international consulting arm of ShoreBank Corporation. The SBI will develop and deliver to KB a customized training on staff management and financial analysis & management, under the Widening Harmonized Access to Microfinance (WHAM). WHAM, a program implemented by SBI, is sponsored by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) as a part of USD 1.5 billion, 5-year-long USAID aid to Pakistan. Continue Reading »

The Americas region of InterContinental Hotels Group (IHG), a UK-based international hotel company, partnered with Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE) by funding a microcredit program for small farmers of Costa Rica. In the first phase of the program, the initial donation of USD 10k from IHG to CATIE became available for small farmers of rural Costa Rica to borrow for uses such as enhancement of operations. IHG has previously funded two other microcredit programs of village banks in Mexico that provide business loans for women. It also has made a commitment for another microcredit initiative in 2008. Continue Reading »

The Alliance for Fair Microfinance (the Alliance) will launch with its first discussion period, which is set to start at the latest in the first week of January of 2008. The Alliance is an initiative to promote customer / client interests in the microfinance industry by providing direction and platform for discussion among the actors of the microfinance industry. Continue Reading »