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“A Simple Poverty Scorecard for Afghanistan” by Mark Schreiner; published by Microfinance Risk Management LLC; January 2012; 117 pages; available at http://www.microfinance.com/#Afghanistan Continue Reading »
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Tuesday, February 7, 2012
MICROFINANCE PUBLICATION ROUND-UP: Poverty Scorecard for Afghanistan, Implementing Microfinance Information Systems, Improving Client Value from Microinsurance
Tuesday, February 7, 2012
MICROFINANCE PUBLICATION ROUND-UP: Role Reversal Revisited, Microinsurance Profitability Business Case, Trends in Cross-Border Funding
“Role Reversal Revisited,” by Damian von Stauffenberg and Daniel Rozas, published by MicroRate, 2011, 22 pages, available at http://microrate.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/01/Role-Reversal-Revisited-…
This paper reviews the roles of development finance institutions (DFIs) and private lenders in funding microfinance institutions (MFIs). Continue Reading »
Monday, February 6, 2012
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: “Paris Appeal for Responsible Microfinance” by Convergences 2015 Reaches 600 Signatories
Convergences 2015, a nonprofit based in France that focuses on poverty elimination, is promoting the “Paris Appeal for Responsible Microfinance” in an effort to slow the commercialization of microfinance, arguing that it is inconsistent with development and inclusive finance. Continue Reading »
Thursday, February 2, 2012
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Crowdfunding Platforms Including Peer-to-Peer Model Lead to Increased Reach, Reduced Transaction Costs in Microfinance
Crowdfunding platforms, intermediary services that act as an interface between “the public” and the “crowdfunded” project, can offer increased audience size, reduced transaction costs and decreased “legislative complexities,” reportedly says Daniela Castrataro, co-founder of UK-based social media consulting agency “twintangibles” [1]. Continue Reading »
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Development Seed, Key2Flex Offer Geospatial Technology Services to Analyze Availability of Financial Services in Developing Countries
Geospatial mapping is being used to show the geographic distribution of banks, automated teller machines (ATMs) and banking agents in relation to low-income and other population groups, thus giving an indication of the accessibility of financial services to those groups. Continue Reading »
Monday, January 30, 2012
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Beyond Microfinance, Metafinance can Serve Communal Needs Such as Access to Clean Water, Reports Melanie Walker of Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation
In an article published in the US-based website Huffington Post, Melanie Walker of the US-based nonprofit Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation expounds the concept of “metafinance,” which is defined as the provision of financial service that “occupies the intermediary space between individual finance and large-scale municipal finance…. It enables creditworthy individuals and families to pool their discrete capacity to save or to borrow into a single loan for a communal purpose–hence the “meta” or “transcending” dimension, extending beyond and bridging existing microfinance or municipal finance paradigms” [1]. Continue Reading »
Monday, January 30, 2012
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Switzerland’s Azure Partners Launches Azure Global Microfinance Fund
Azure Partners, a Swiss company specializing in “socially responsible investments,” has launched Azure Global Microfinance Fund, a microfinance-focused “fund of funds” that will accept investments from both private and institutional investors [1]. Continue Reading »
Friday, January 27, 2012
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: MicroRate Founder Damian von Stauffenberg is First to be Named to LuxFLAG Microfinance Label Eligibility Committee
The Luxembourg Fund Labelling Agency (LuxFLAG), a microfinance investment vehicle (MIV) and environment-related investment vehicle (EIV) certification organization, recently announced that Mr Damian von Stauffenberg, the founder of US-based microfinance rating agency MicroRate, has been named to the eligibility committee of LuxFlag’s Microfinance Label [1]. Continue Reading »
Monday, January 23, 2012
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: “SPM in Microfinance 24*7 Helpline” Offers Advice to Front-Line Workers Regarding Social Performance Management
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 »
Monday, January 23, 2012
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: SKS Microfinance to Further Downsize Workforce, Cap Return on Assets at 3%
SKS Microfinance, a microfinance institution (MFI) in India, reportedly will continue to downsize its workforce as it has been since the enactment of the Regulation of Microlending Act in October 2010 in the state of Andhra Pradesh, which requires government approval of each microloan. Continue Reading »
Sunday, January 22, 2012
MICROFINANCE OPINION: Crowdfunding May Be Next Frontier for Microenterpirse Funding
With institutional investors looking to amend their charters to allow private share purchases, I believe that the private company marketplace will start showing significant momentum in the first half of 2013. I foresee the rapid emergence of private shares desks within conventional financial firms. Continue Reading »
Saturday, January 21, 2012
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: State Bank of India to Grow Microfinance Portfolio by 50%, Microfinance Institutions Network Promotes Wholesale Lending to Sector
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 »
Monday, January 16, 2012
MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: “Bank Agents: Risk Management, Mitigation, and Supervision;” by Kate Lauer, Denise Dias, Michael Tarazi; Published by CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor)
By Kate Lauer, Denise Dias and Michael Tarazi; published by CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor); December 2011; 24 pages; available at: http://www.cgap.org/p/site/c/template.rc/1.9.55781/ Continue Reading »
Friday, January 13, 2012
MICROFINANCE EVENT: LDJ Capital, NowStreet Media to Host “The SoHo Loft Capital Creation and Crowdfunding Conference (TSLCCAC),” January 23, 2012, New York, United States
Event Name: The SoHo Loft Capital Creation and Crowdfunding Conference (TSLCCAC)
Event Date: January 23, 2012, 1 pm to 8:30 pm
Event Location: Reed Smith NY Conference Center, New York, USA Continue Reading »
Thursday, January 12, 2012
MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: Latest Findings from Randomized Evaluations of Microfinance; By Jonathan Bauchet, Cristobal Marshall, Laura Starita, Jeanette Thomas and Anna Yalouris; Published by CGAP
By Jonathan Bauchet, Cristobal Marshall, Laura Starita, Jeanette Thomas and Anna Yalouris; Published by CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor); December 2011; 32 pages; available at http://www.cgap.org/gm/document-1.9.55766/FORUM2.pdf Continue Reading »
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: MicroSave Survey: Reliance on Loan Sharks High, Microfinance Repayment Rates Low in Andhra Pradesh, India
The downturn in the microfinance industry in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh has resulted in brisk business for traditional moneylenders according to a study entitled “What are Clients doing Post the Andhra Pradesh MFI Crisis?” from MicroSave, a microfinance advisory firm with offices in India, Indonesia, the Philippines and Uganda. Continue Reading »
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Private Equity Investors Wary As Return on Equity for Indian Microfinance Institutions Drops from Over 45% to Under 20%
The steep decline in microloan repayments that began in 2010 in the Indian state of Andhra Pradesh (AP) is continuing to keep private investors away from microfinance institutions (MFIs). Continue Reading »
Tuesday, January 10, 2012
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: “Nokia Money” Electronic Wallet Service Launched in India in Effort to Promote Financial Inclusion
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 »