Madrid Autonomus University, in collaboration with two other Spanish institutions, the Foro Nantik Lum de MicroFinanzas, a microfinance think tank, and the Universidad Pontificia Comillas de Madrid, has recently announced the launch of a degree program titled “Masters in Microcredit for Development” The program, which is scheduled to extend from October 2011 until June 2012, aims to provide instruction and training in microfinance as distributed via the following channels: banks, credit unions, NGOs and international development agencies.
Category: Trends/Challenges
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Microfinance Investment Support Facility for Afghanistan (MISFA) Announces Afghan Microfinance Sector Reaches $1b in Loan Disbursements
The Microfinance Investment Support Facility for Afghanistan (MISFA), an instrument of the Afghan government, recently announced that the microfinance sector in Afghanistan has disbursed a total of approximately USD 1 billion to low-income Afghan households since 2003.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) Releases “2010 Sub-Saharan Microfinance Analysis and Benchmarking Report”
The Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) recently released the “2010 Sub-Saharan Microfinance Analysis and Benchmarking Report,” which covers information on 181 microfinance institutions (MFIs) that operate in 41 countries.
MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: Microfinance in India – A Crisis at the Bottom of the Pyramid; Published by Legatum Ventures
Published by Legatum Ventures; May 2011; 11 pages; available at http://www.legatum.org/attachments/MicrofinanceCrisis.pdf
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Convenes Microfinance Stakeholders Summit Celebrating “Microscope” Ranking from the Economist
Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), the central bank of the Philippines, has convened a “National Microfinance Stakeholders Summit” bringing together approximately 300 microfinance industry players including policymakers, regulators, microfinance institution representatives, donors and investors with the purpose of encouraging a greater commitment to microfinance and financial inclusion [1].
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: National Bank of Cambodia (NBC), Supported by International Finance Corporation (IFC), Targets Multiple Borrowing by Microfinance Clients, Expects to Launch National Credit Bureau in 2011
In an effort to mitigate the problems of overlapping loans disbursed by microfinance institutions (MFIs) and commercial banks in Cambodia, the National Bank of Cambodia, the country’s central bank, has partnered with the International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private-investment arm of the World Bank Group, on plans to launch a national credit bureau before the end of 2011.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor) Microfinance Blog Discusses Role of Mobile Phones in Integrating Savings, Payments, Budgeting Services
The CGAP Microfinance Blog, which is operated by US-based think tank CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor), recently posted an article by Ignacio Mas of the US-based Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation that examines the role that mobile phones can play in facilitating broader financial inclusion by delivering savings, payment and budgeting services.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Directs Banks to Exercise Additional Due Diligence When Lending to Microfinance Institutions (MFIs)
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI), India’s central banking authority, has indicated that banks must perform additional due diligence when lending to microfinance institutions (MFIs) following RBI’s enactment of microfinance guidelines that capped interest rates for end-borrowers at 26 percent and interest rate margins for MFIs at 12 percent.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF), Andean Development Corporation (CAF), Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA) Call for Proposals for “Technologies for Financial Inclusion Program”
Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), a US-based multilateral finance institution that operates in Latin America and the Caribbean; Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF), an autonomous fund administered by IDB; Andean Development Corporation (CAF, in Spanish), a multilateral financial institution based in Venezuela; and Global System for Mobile Communications Association (GSMA), an organization representing approximately 750 cell phone operators, have issued a call for proposals as part of the launch of the second Technologies for Financial Inclusion Program [1].
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: “Enterprise Development and Microfinance” Journal Issues Call for Articles for December 2011 Issue “Investing in Microfinance Institutions”
Enterprise Development and Microfinance (EDM), a journal published by UK-based NGO Practical Action, has issued a call for articles for its December 2011 issue, “Investing in Microfinance Institutions”, which is slated to “explore key issues in microfinance investing” [1].
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Uniglobal Hosts Central Asian Microfinance Fair 2011, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, July 7 – July 8, 2011
Event Name: Central Asian Microfinance Fair 2011
Event Date: July 7 – July 8, 2011
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: responsAbility Loans $3.9m to Microfinance Institutions Financiera Confianza, Cooperativa Agropecuaria Limitada Naranjillo of Peru
responsAbility Social Investments AG, an investment company based in Switzerland, recently reported to MicroCapital that it loaned the equivalent of USD 3.9 million to microfinance organizations Financiera Confianza and Cooperativa Agropecuaria Limitada Naranjillo of Peru.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Goodwell West Africa Invests in Nigerian Mobile Money Service, Paga
Goodwell West Africa, a branch of Goodwell Investments of the Netherlands, has invested an undisclosed amount in Paga’s mobile money service with approval from the Central Bank of Nigeria.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: SKS Microfinance of India Reports Q4 Net Loss of $15m, Cites “Stringent” Loan Loss Provisioning
SKS Microfinance, a for-profit Indian microfinance institution, reported a decline of 36 percent in total income to INR 193.8 crores (USD 42.7 million) and a net loss of INR 69.8 crores (USD 15.4 million) for the first three months of 2011, as compared with a net profit of INR 62.9 crores (USD 14 million) in the same quarter last year.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Central Bank of Afghanistan Issues Electronic Money Institution License to M-Paisa
The Central Bank of Afghanistan has issued an electronic money institution (EMI) license to M-Paisa, a mobile technology platform that provides financial services targeted at those without access to banking.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: 17 Websites Now Allow Individuals to Commit as Little as USD 20 as Microfinance Loans
There are now at least 17 websites offering the opportunity for individuals to direct as little as USD 20 to microborrowers in both rich and poor countries, including: Babyloan, Good Return, Kiva, MicroPlace, MyElen.com, MYC4, Veecus, Xetic.org, 51Give, Rang De, Wokai, DhanaX, p2p Microfinance, Zidisha, Inuka, Acceder and OptInNow. Most of these websites post information on potential borrowers that can be viewed by lenders, but most channel funds to microlenders that may use the money to lend to any of their clients. In most cases, these investments do not yield any returns to investors. Others such as MicroPlace, MYC4, MyElen.com, p2p Microfinance, DhanaX and Zidisha pay an interest to their investors. Still others do not allow the “lender” to withdraw funds at any time, instead using the donation to capitalize lending pools.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Could Guarantees from Wealthy Individuals Get Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) Through Rough Patch?
Good Magazine, a US-based media platform that reports on social causes, recently argued that guarantees offered by wealthy individuals to microlenders could assist microfinance institutions (MFIs) in accessing funding during a difficult time for the industry, following claims of “loansharking” by some Indian microlenders.
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Asia Society Washington Hosts “Lending To The Poor: Insights on Microfinance in Asia,” May 9, 2011, Washington, DC, USA
Event Name: Lending To The Poor, Insights on Microfinance in Asia
Event Date: May 9, 2011
Event Time: 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm
Event Location: Asia Society Washington, The Cinnabar Room, Whittemore House, 2nd floor, 1526 New Hampshire Ave NW, Washington, DC, USA