This past spring, the Nigerian government cut its Small and Medium Enterprises Equity Investment Scheme (SMEEIS) due to a lack of success and underutilization. Recently, many comments by officials as well as outside criticisms have surfaced, explaining and defending the decision to cut SMEEIS and instead support the Nigerian Microcredit Development Fund. Continue Reading »

Having received final approval in January 2008, Olive Microfinance Bank formally opened its corporate head office in Ikeja, the capital of Lagos State, Nigeria. Created by Nigerians from “various reputed” Nigerian banks, Olive is now in the process of hiring an extended network of staff to operate the institution. Continue Reading »

Anne Hastings is the Executive Director of Fondasyon Kole Zepol (Fonkoze), Haiti’s largest microfinance institution (MFI). Fonkoze or “Haiti’s Alternative Bank For the Organized Poor” has 34 nation-wide branches with total assets of USD 6.7 million as of December 31^st 2007. According to its MIX Market Profile, at year end 2007, Fonkoze had 20,916 active borrowers and 30,509 active savers. Fonkoze also offers microinsurance with Alternative Insurance Company (AIC), a Haitian insurance company.

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FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT FOR MICROFINANCE INSTITUTIONS (JUL. 31 - AUG. 2 IN MANILA)

DELINQUENCY MANAGEMENT (AUG. 4 - AUG. 6 IN VIGAN, ILOCOS SUR)

MARKET-BASED FINANCIAL PRODUCT DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT (SEP. 1 - SEP 3. IN CEBU)

FINANCIAL ANALYSIS (OCT. 6 - OCT. 8 IN ILOILO)

STRATEGIC PLANNING FOR MICROFINANCE INSTITUTIONS (NOV. 6 - NOV. 8 MANILA)

RISK MANAGEMENT, INTERNAL CONTROLS AND AUDIT (NOV. 10 - NOV. 12 IN CAGAYAN DE ORO)

FINANCIAL ANALYSIS (DEC. 1 - DEC. 3 IN DAVAO)

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Written by Gustavo A. Barboza and Humberto Barreto, published April 2006 in Contemporary Economic Policy Vol. 24, No. 2, 16 pages available at: http://econpapers.repec.org/article/oupcoecpo/v_3A24_3Ay_3A2006_3Ai_3A2_3Ap_3A316-331.htm Continue Reading »

Nonprofit Luxembourg Fund Labelling Agency (LuxFLAG) has granted its label to the
Rural Impulse Fund SA, SICAV-FIS (RIF). The LuxFLAG label indicates that RIF, which invests in microfinance institutions (MFIs) in rural areas, is truly investing in microfinance activities. The label was initiated to provide increased assurance to investors that commercial microfinance investment vehicle’s (MIVs) were committed to delivering microfinance services. Continue Reading »

INTERNATIONAL SYMPOSIUM FOR BUILDING FAIR FINANCIAL MARKETS FOR ALL

OCTOBER 1-2 2008 AT THE INTERNATIONAL LABOUR ORGANIZATION (ILO) IN GENEVA SWITZERLAND

Building Fair Financial Markets for All: Profitable Investment Opportunities in Micro
and Small Businesses Symposium is hosted by the World Microfinance Forum Geneva, a public-private partnership of nonprofit and for profit institutions that promotes inclusive financial markets by hosting events and conducting research. The 2008 Symposium is geared towards investors, “financial intermediaries”, microfinance professionals and public actors. The event will feature research on microfinance investment, the relationship between microfinance and the private sector and “new products, new technology, new markets”. There will be a special focus on China and its market for microfinance. Continue Reading »

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) recently published a report entitled “Creating Value for All: Strategies for Doing Business with the Poor”. The report is comprised of 50 case studies investigating both small and medium-sized companies (SMEs) and multinational corporations. It examines social and financial results on both local and international levels. There are eight chapters: Opportunities to Create Value for All, Constraints Standing in the Way, Adapt Products and Processes, Invest in Removing Market Constraints, Leverage the Strengths of the Poor, Combine Resources and Capabilities with Others, Engage in Policy Dialogue with Others, and Taking Action. Continue Reading »

Srijan recently announced the winners of its 2008 Business Plan Competition, reported by MicroCapital here. Cash prizes were given to the top three contestants, with the first prize sponsored specifically by Standard Chartered Bank. The winners will also have the opportunity to meet investors, though Srijan has not yet specified which investors. All finalists will be able to create accounts on the India Development Gateway Portal, as reported here by MicroCapital. Continue Reading »

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) recently announced that funds totaling USD 829,300 will be invested in a project for Uruguayan Institute for Economic and Social Development’s (IPRU) female and youth entrepreneurship in Uruguay’s capital Montevideo and district Saladero de Salto. USD 600,000 of the funds will come directly from IDB and USD 229,300 will come from counterpart financing from Uruguay. The IDB’s contributions will come through its Social Entrepreneurship Program (SEP), which aims to make credit available to the financially excluded. SEP is managed and administered by the IDB’s Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF), which promotes inclusive private sector growth through grants and investments. USD 125,000 will be given in the form of a grant, while USD 200,000 will be given through a seven year loan that includes a two year grace period. The interest rate has not been specified. Finally, USD 275,000 has been allocated for “technical cooperation financing” and is funded directly from the IDB’s Italian Trust for Microenterprise Development. Continue Reading »

EUROPEAN SUMMIT ON GLOBAL MICROFINANCE INVESTMENTS

OCTOBER 29-30 2008, MILLENNIUM KNIGHTSBRIDGE HOTEL IN LONDON, UK

The conference will examine how microfinance can be a potential asset class, the risks of investing, potential business models, and how to facilitate increased microfinance investment globally. The conference will include panelists, moderators and speakers from a wide-range of international banks, microfinance institutions, investment funds and rating agencies. The conference is hosted by c5, a think tank that organizes approximately 90 European conferences a year to explore business opportunities and challenges. Continue Reading »

A partnership was recently announced between online video library VideoJug and online micro-lending site Kiva.org. VideoJug has agreed to provide an in-kind donation of video production services, creating videos featuring Kiva to both educate and publicize Kiva’s microfinance services. The first video, an “introductory clip”, has already been posted on social networking website Facebook. The partnership also aims to generate videos to provide information on Kiva’s campaign, the Kiva process, microfinance and how to become involved in lending. Continue Reading »

RISK MANAGEMENT EXCELLENCE IN MICROFINANCE: CONNECTING LUXEMBOURG TO LEADING MFIS WORKSHOP

17-21 NOVEMBER 2008, LUXEMBOURG CITY, LUXEMBOURG

This workshop on microfinance risk management is being hosted by; the Agency of Transfer of Financial Technology (ATTF), which was created by the Luxembourg Ministry of Finance to focus public funding in financial training, consultancy and technical assistance; Appui au Développement Autonome (ADA) a Luxembourg-based nongovernmental organization (NGO) that facilitates the microfinance development fund Luxmint and provides technical and financial support to Latin American, Asian and African microfinance institutions (MFIs); and Risk Management Professionals in Luxembourg (PRiM), an association that provides a forum for discussion, exchange and knowledge on global risk management topics. Continue Reading »

The International Finance Corporation (IFC) recently made a USD 15.6 million equity investment in financial conglomerate Grupo Mundial Tenedora S.A. IFC now has a 9.9 percent stake in the group. The agreement has been approved by the IFC and is currently “pending signing”. Continue Reading »

THIRD GLOBAL CREDIT REPORTING CONFERENCE: PUBLIC POLICY & INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR EMERGING MARKETS

OCTOBER 21-23, 2008, SHERATON RIO HOTEL & RESORT IN RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL

The conference to be hosted by the World Bank, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and Brazilian Ministry of Finance’s Central Bank of Brazil will concern credit reporting infrastructure considering country examples, legal and regulatory framework and the private and public sectors. Continue Reading »

SEEP 2008 ANNUAL CONFERENCE

NOVEMBER 4-7, 2008 CRYSTAL GATEWAY MARRIOTT HOTEL, ARLINGTON, VIRGINIA

Through July 19^th, Small Enterprise Education and Promotion Network (SEEP), an international organization with the goal of connecting microenterprise practitioners via a global learning community, will be accepting proposals, consisting of a 200 word description of topics and learning objectives for workshops and panel discussions. Multiple proposals from the same author will be accepted. All proposals should be sent to Sabina Rogers at annualconference@seepnetwork.org . Continue Reading »

CGAP/MFMI FUNDER TRAINING COURSE

SEPTEMBER 8-12 2008 DUBROVNIK, CROATIA

Organized by CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor) and nonprofit management training organization the Microfinance Management Institute (MFMI), the “Building Inclusive Financial Systems: How Can Funders Make a Difference” course will provide an overview of microfinance as well as practical recommendations, techniques and tools for building micro-financial systems, encouraging microfinance policy, and developing microfinance projects. Continue Reading »

Intellecap recently partnered its incubation, the India Development Gateway (IDG) with its annual Srijan Microfinance Business Plan Competition, a competition aimed at developing solutions to microfinance institution’s (MFI’s) resource and infrastructure problems. Srijan 2008 winners were announced last week. While Srijan awarded top competitors with the cash equivalent of USD 30,335, intermixing IDG into the competition aims to provide extended support by linking the entrepreneurs with the IDG portal to hopefully further the process of making their plans into small and medium-sized businesses. Additionally, the in-house partnership is hoped to encourage new sources of capital. Continue Reading »