Applications are open through March 31 for the 2013 Joint Japan/World Bank Graduate Scholarship Program (JJ/WBGSP), a program that grants scholarships for individuals to obtain master’s degrees in subjects related to economic development.  Continue Reading »

By Craig Churchill, Aparna Dalal and Josh Ling; published by International Labour Organization, Microinsurance Innovation Facility; 2013; 8 pages; available at: http://www.ilo.org/public/english/employment/mifacility/download/brnote15_en.pdf

This paper examines the challenges faced by microfinance institutions (MFIs) that provide microinsurance products to low-income individuals and businesses. Continue Reading »

The Social Performance Task Force (SPTF), a working group initiated in 2005 by CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor), the Argidius Foundation and the Ford Foundation, is seeking submissions for its online Universal Standards Resource Library. Continue Reading »

Pi Slice, a start-up crowdfunding platform based in Dubai, reportedly plans to link poor entrepreneurs in the Middle East to microloans raised via social media. Continue Reading »

The Bank of Tanzania (BOT), the country’s banking authority, reportedly has approved licenses for CreditInfo Tanzania and Dunn & Bradstreet Tanzania, two privately-owned credit reference bureaus, to act as credit bureaus in Tanzania.  Continue Reading »

Developpement international Desjardins (DID), the development subsidiary of Canadian cooperative institution Desjardins Group, recently disbursed a USD 500,000 loan to the Cambodia Community Savings Federation (CCSF), a financial cooperative network that serves approximately 30 financial institutions holding assets of USD 7 million in Cambodia. Continue Reading »

Khan Bank, a Mongolian provider of microfinance and other services, recently launched its “Welcome to the E-Banking World” campaign to provide information about E-banking services, such as payment services available via the internet and mobile phones. Continue Reading »

Published by the Microfinance Institutions Network (MFIN); 2013; 40 pages; available at: http://www.microfinancegateway.org/gm/document-1.9.60963/MicroMeter_Feb%202013_Issue%2004_5th%20Feb%202013_for%20distribution.pdf

The Microfinance Institutions Network (MFIN), an association of 47 Indian microlenders, has released the fourth issue of MicroMeter, an analysis of the Indian microfinance industry’s performance during the third quarter (Q3) of fiscal year (FY) 2012-2013 (spanning October to December 2012). Continue Reading »

The Norwegian Investment Fund for Developing Countries (Norfund), a state-owned institution, recently issued a seven-year loan of USD 1.4 million to investment holding company NMBZ (National Merchant Bank of Zimbabwe) Holdings, which owns NMB Bank Limited, for on-lending to small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Continue Reading »

A study by Ikapadata, a South Africa-based data collection company, indicates that 20 percent of South Africans with low incomes have formal health insurance while 66 percent have no formal insurance at all, excluding those who receive coverage from their employers.  Continue Reading »

The African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States’ (ACP’s) and the European Union’s (EU’s) Microfinance Framework Programme, a multinational effort that invests in microfinance projects in 80 countries, has announced that it is accepting applications from government officials from ACP member countries for 25 scholarships to attend the Italy-based session of the Boulder Microfinance Training Programme (BMTP), which is run by the US-based nonprofit Boulder Institute of Microfinance.  Continue Reading »

By Yasemin Saltuk; published by JP Morgan and the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN); January 2013; 28 pages; available at: http://www.thegiin.org/cgi-bin/iowa/download?row=489&field=gated_download_1

This report is the third annual survey by US-based investing firm J.P. Morgan and US-based nonprofit Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) that attempts to shed light on the condition and future prospects of the impact investment market by surveying a sample of investors in the field. Continue Reading »

The value of mobile money transactions in Kenya reportedly reached a total of KES 1.4 trillion (USD 16.2 billion) in the financial year ended June 30, 2012. Continue Reading »

ProCredit Bank Ukraine, a microfinance institution (MFI) and member of Germany’s ProCredit Holding, recently opened a new branch in the city of Kharkiv. Continue Reading »

The microfinance sector in Rwanda reportedly experienced growth in fiscal year 2012, with gross loans increasing 44.7 percent from RWF 40.7 billion (USD 64 million) to RWF 58.9 billion (USD 92.7 million). Continue Reading »

Opportunity International, a US-based nonprofit that focuses on microfinance in emerging markets, has recently agreed to license Insight, a business analytics product developed by Temenos, a software company based in Switzerland. The organization will hire Temenos to customize the software to produce reports that measure the social impact of lending on borrowers and their communities. Continue Reading »

AccessBank, a for-profit microfinance institution based in Azerbaijan, recently received a loan of USD 4.2 million from the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), a multilateral institution headquartered in London, that will provide 30 percent of the financing required to renovate its new headquarters in Baku.  Continue Reading »

The US-based Center for Finance, Law and Policy at Boston University (BU Center) has partnered with CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor), a US-based nonprofit research and policy center, to create an online repository of materials relating to the regulation of financial inclusion around the world. Continue Reading »