Swayam Shikshan Prayog (SSP), an education and development organization based in Mumbai, India, has found that offering discounted outpatient services to health insurance clients is linked with customer retention. Continue Reading »

Founded in 2011 in India, “SPM in Microfinance 24*7 Helpline” is an online resource that aims to help institutions and individuals worldwide with issues related to social performance management (SPM) in microfinance [1]. Continue Reading »

Cambodian government officials reportedly are looking to negotiate down the interest rates on microfinance loans, arguing that current rates are unsustainable for the country’s rural farming population and that defaults are causing many farmers to become landless. [1] Continue Reading »

The State Bank of India (SBI) reportedly plans to grow its microfinance portfolio by 50 percent during the fourth quarter of the fiscal year. Continue Reading »

The Cambodia Institute of Development Study, a non-governmental research institute based in Phnom Penh, recently released a study indicating that borrowers from microfinance institutions (MFIs) are better off in terms of income, assets and women’s empowerment than are debtors who receive loans from other sources. Continue Reading »

The Michael and Susan Dell Foundation, a US-based nonprofit, has taken an equity stake in BASIX Sub-K iTransactions Limited, the mobile payments unit of BASIX Group, an Indian entity providing services to poor people including microfinance, health insurance and agricultural and business development services [1]. Continue Reading »

Acumen Fund, a US-based nonprofit fund that invests in entrepreneurial approaches to reduce poverty, has made a loan amounting to USD 1 million to Gramalaya Urban and Rural Development Initiatives and Network (GUARDIAN), an Indian microfinance institution (MFI) that focuses on lending to increase access to clean water and sanitation facilities [1]. Continue Reading »

The United International Group (UIG) of Pakistan reportedly completed purchase of the Network Microfinance Bank Limited (NMB) on January 16, 2012, for an undisclosed sum of money. Continue Reading »

A new microfinance loan category called “microfinance plus” has been approved by the Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), raising the overall microloan ceiling from PHP 150,000 (USD 3,417) to PHP 300,000 (USD 6,835). Continue Reading »

Switzerland’s responsAbility Social Investments AG (responsAbility) recently reported to MicroCapital that it has made loans amounting to USD 4 million to Cambodian financial institutions ACLEDA Bank and Hattha Kaksekar Limited (HKL). Continue Reading »

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), India’s central banking authority, has refused to give a special exemption to commercial banks, that include HDFC Bank, Corporation Bank and Axis Bank, to restructure loans outstanding to microfinance providers BASIX Group and Sharada’s Women’s Association for Weaker Section (SWAWS) Credit Corporation India Private Limited under a classification other than as non-performing assets [1] [2]. Continue Reading »

Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Deputy Governor Mr H R Khan has announced that Indian microfinance institutions (MFIs) will now be allowed to execute external commercial borrowings (ECB)–those that are raised from outside India–of up to USD 10 million per financial year, twice as much as was previously allowed [1]. Such funds must be “utilised for lending to self-help groups or for micro-credit or for bonafide micro finance activity including capacity building.” [2] The change is intended to address liquidity issues in the industry [1]. Continue Reading »

Nokia Corporation, a Finnish telecommunications company, has launched Nokia Money, an electronic-wallet service, in an effort to promote financial inclusion of previously “underbanked” people across India [1]. Continue Reading »

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the Philippine central bank, has issued licenses to two rural banks, Bangko Mabuhay and Mallig Plains Rural Bank Incorporated, allowing them to provide microinsurance services [1]. Continue Reading »

BPI Globe BanKo, a mobile-based savings bank affiliated with the Bank of the Philippine Islands (BPI), reportedly has extended PHP 2 billion (USD 45.3 million) in loans to unspecified Philippine microfinance institutions. Continue Reading »

Gramalaya, an Indian nongovernmental organization (NGO), has launched a new microfinance institution (MFI), Gramalaya Microfin Foundation (GMF) that aims to “eradicate poverty through livelihood promotion activities through increased access to financial services” [1]. Continue Reading »