Event Name: 16^th Microfinance Centre (MFC) Annual Conference

Event Date: May 28 – 30, 2013

Event Location: Splendid Conference and Spa Resort, Budva, Montenegro Continue Reading »

Chief Executive Officer Thankani Makhuvha of South Africa’s Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA), a government-funded entity, has reportedly stated that the organization intends to disburse approximately ZAR 737 million (USD 81 million) in loans to 15,000 small businesses in South Africa during the year ending March 31, 2014. Continue Reading »

“Rural Finance in Loas: GIZ Experience in Remote Rural Areas;” by Klaus Prochaska, Dennis Fischer, Philipp Hauger, Tony Deary; published by Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ); December 2012; 40 pages; available at: http://www.microfinancegateway.org/gm/document-1.9.61072/Rural_Finance_in%20Laos_Paper_GIZ_2012.pdf

This report presents an analysis of the “Microfinance in Rural Areas – Access to Finance for the Poor” project, which is operated by Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), an agency of the German Government, in partnership with the Bank of Lao, the central bank of Laos. Continue Reading »

Absolute Portfolio Management (APM), an Austria-based firm that invests in microfinance and other sectors, recently notified MicroCapital that it loaned the equivalent of USD 13 million during April 2013 through two of the funds that it manages to microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Ecuador, Honduras, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Peru, the Philippines, Russia and Tajikistan. Of this amount, USD 7.5 million was issued in local currency. Continue Reading »

According to Cuba’s Domestic Trade Ministry, a government body charged with implementing and monitoring domestic wholesale and retail commerce, 2,041 businesses have been leased to 5,479 former employees as part of Cuba’s economic reform plan to introduce non-state management in 47 economic activities. Continue Reading »

U’yo’olché, a Mexican environmental non-governmental organization (NGO), and Fondo Mexicano para la Conservación de la Naturaleza, A.C. (FMCN), a nonprofit funder of environmental efforts, are leading an initiative to provide improved cook stoves to families in rural areas of southern Mexico with the aim of reducing wood consumption, eliminating hazardous household smoke, decreasing the risk of accidents, minimizing household expenses and promoting women’s empowerment. Continue Reading »

The European Fund for Southeast Europe (EFSE), a Luxembourg-based microfinance investment vehicle (MIV), has notified MicroCapital that it recently disbursed two loans totaling the equivalent of USD 16 million to Agricultural Cooperative Bank of Armenia-Credit Agricole Bank (ACBA), a microfinance bank partially owned by French bank Credit Agricole. Continue Reading »

According to data presented by Deepali Pant Joshi, executive director of Reserve Bank of India (RBI), at the recent International Summit of Skill Development in New Delhi, the number of villages with access to banks has risen from 67,000 in March 2010 to 211,000 in December 2012 out of a total of 600,000 villages in the country. Continue Reading »

The UK-based European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) has agreed to loan up to EUR 85 million (USD 111.5 million) to two units of French-based Société Générale Group to finance the growth of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Bulgaria. Continue Reading »

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private-investment arm of the World Bank Group, has announced a cooperation agreement with Asociacion La Nacional de Ahorros y Préstamos (La Nacional), a financial institution in the Dominican Republic, to strengthen La Nacional’s risk management and corporate governance practices in an effort to improve its service to its low-income and small and medium- sized enterprise (SME) clients. Continue Reading »

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the US-based World Bank Group, recently issued ZAR 884 million (USD 97.1 million) in microfinance bonds to Japanese retail and institutional investors in an effort to expand financial access to poor people in developing countries. Continue Reading »

Event Name: European Microfinance Network (EMN) 10^th Annual Conference

Event Date: June 25-26, 2013

Event Location: Clarion Hotel, Stockholm, Sweden Continue Reading »

By Marulanda Consultores; published by CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor); February 2013; 32 pages; available at: http://www.cgap.org/sites/default/files/colombia_agent_subsidy_english.pdf

This report analyzes a set of incentives offered by Banca de las Oportunidades, a government organization in Colombia that aims to increase financial access, to expand networks of “non-banking correspondents” (NBCs) to reach unbanked areas. Continue Reading »

Published by Making Finance Work for Africa (MFW4A), Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), New Faces New Voices, East African Community, Bundesministerium für wirtschaftliche Zusammenarbeit und Entwicklung (BMZ); 2012; 40 pages; available at: http://www.mfw4a.org/documents-details/advancing-african-womens-financial-inclusion.html?dl=1

This report presents an analysis of the potential positive impacts of advancing African women’s financial inclusion, including more inclusive and sustainable economic growth and higher levels of productive investment and asset accumulation. Continue Reading »

Event Name: 2013 Partnerships Against Poverty Summit

Event Date: October 9-11, 2013

Event Location: Philippine International Convention Center, Manila, Philippines

Continue Reading »

LeapFrog Investments, a Mauritius-based investor in insurance providers operating in emerging markets, recently announced plans to invest USD 4.3 million to take a stake of undisclosed size in Bima, a Sweden-based mobile microinsurance provider that operates in emerging markets in Africa and Asia. Continue Reading »

ResponsAbility Social Investments, a Swiss investment company, has notified MicroCapital that it recently disbursed loans totaling USD 8 million to Banco Pichincha of Ecuador, a commercial bank that offers financial services to corporations; retailers; and micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises. Continue Reading »

Hasal Microfinance Bank Limited, a Nigerian microfinance institution (MFI), reportedly has provided NGN 6 million (USD 37,900) in asset financing to the Integrated Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria, a group of rice farmers based in the Nigerian state of Nassarawa, for farming equipment intended to boost productivity. Continue Reading »