“Latin American and the Caribbean Microfinance Market Trends 2006-2011;” by Renso Martinez Ramirez; published by Microfinance Information Exchange; June 2012; 22 pages; available at: http://www.themix.org/publications/mix-microfinance-world/2012/06/latin-american-and-caribbean-microfinance-market-trends- Continue Reading »

The Multilateral Investment Fund, an autonomous fund administered by the US-based Inter-American Development Bank, has approved an equity investment of an undisclosed amount in Haitian microfinance institution (MFI) Association pour la Cooperation avec la Micro Enterprise (ACME). Continue Reading »

The Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF), an autonomous fund that was founded in 1993 by the US-based Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), has made a USD 5 million equity investment in Mexico Development Fund I (MDF-I), a venture capital fund focused on small and medium-sized Mexican businesses providing education, financial or retail services. MDF-I is managed by PC Capital Partners, a financial services firm based in Mexico.  Continue Reading »

Accion, a US-based nonprofit organization, recently launched a service called Avanza that manages retail microfinance portfolios for banks and microfinance institutions (MFIs). Continue Reading »

Two services of Bermuda-based mobile phone network provider Digicel Group, Tcho Tcho Mobile and Voila’s T-Cash, will share an award of USD 3.2 million from the Haiti Mobile Money Initiative (HMMI), a competition developed by the Haiti Integrated Finance for Value Chains and Enterprises (HIFIVE) incentive fund that provides prize money from the US-based Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the US Agency for International Development (USAID), a US government agency that provides international economic and humanitarian assistance. Continue Reading »

ResponsAbility Social Investments, a Swiss investment company, recently issued loans totaling USD 6.3 million to microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Peru and Bolivia. Continue Reading »

Event Name: 6th REDCAMIF Conference: Growing with Inclusion Continue Reading »

The Central Bank of Brazil (BCB in Portuguese) reportedly has released an action plan that aims to strengthen the institutional environment of the National Partnership for Financial Inclusion (NPFI), which was launched in November 2011. Continue Reading »

“’Doing the Math’ with Property Insurance in Ghana;” by Barbara Magnoni, et al; published by the Microinsurance Centre; May 2012; 9 pages; available at: http://www.microinsurancecentre.org/milk-project/milk-docs/doc_details/868-milk-brief-10-qdoing-the-mathq-with-property-insurance-in-ghana.html Continue Reading »

ResponsAbility Social Investments, a Swiss investment company, recently completed three investment deals with microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Ecuador, Paraguay and Peru. Continue Reading »

Incofin Investment Management (Incofin), a Belgian company that develops and manages microfinance investment funds, and the Belgian Investment Company for Developing Countries (BIO in Dutch), a state-owned development finance institution, recently signed a EUR 10 million (USD 12.6 million) agreement intending to assist in developing early-stage microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Africa, Latin America and Asia. Continue Reading »

“A Structured Approach to Understanding the Financial Service Needs of the Poor in Mexico;” by Xavier Faz and Paul Breloff; published by CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor); May 2012; 4 pages; available at: http://www.cgap.org/gm/document-1.9.57615/Brief_MexicoSegmentation.pdf Continue Reading »

Fairtrade International, a nonprofit based in Bonn, Germany, in conjunction with Grameen Foundation, a US-based nonprofit,  and Incofin Investment Management, a Belgian for-profit microfinance investment manager, has launched the Fairtrade Access Fund, which will fund long-term loans to farmer to finance investments such as newer equipment. Continue Reading »

“Volume Growth and Valuation Contraction: Global Microfinance Equity Valuation Survey 2012;” by Jasmina Glisovic, et al; published by CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor) and JP Morgan; May 2012; 16 pages; available at: http://www.microfinancegateway.org/gm/document-1.9.57526/VolumeGrowth.pdf Continue Reading »

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), a US-based multilateral financial institution, has approved a USD 10 million, ten-year loan to Banco de Finanzas (BDF), a commercial bank in Nicaragua, to fund a pilot housing project in Nicaragua. Continue Reading »

Switzerland’s responsAbility Social Investments AG recently reported to MicroCapital that it has made investments equivalent to USD 6.9 million in Bolivian microfinance institution (MFI) Crecer and Colombian MFI Fundacion Mundo Mujer (FMM) Popayan. Continue Reading »

“The Financial Behavior of Rural Residents: Findings from Five Latin American Countries;” by Jacqueline Urquizo; published by Accion; March 2012; 45 pages; available at: http://centerforfinancialinclusionblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/03/the-financial-behavior-of-rural-residents_march-2012.pdf Continue Reading »