SPECIAL REPORT: Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs Offers $114k Prize for Use of Microfinance to Increase Access to Education, Applications due June 1, 2016

The seventh European Microfinance Award, titled “Microfinance and Access to Education”, includes a cash prize totalling EUR 100,000 (approximately USD 114,000) to be presented by the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs – Directorate for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs on November 17, 2016, during European Microfinance Week. The intent of the award is to recognise the role of microfinance in increasing not only children’s access to education, but also the training of youth and adults in skills that directly enhance their employment opportunities. The award is a joint effort by the Ministry; the European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP), a network of approximately 125 microfinance organizations and individuals; and Inclusive Finance Network Luxembourg (InFiNe), a government organization promoting the delivery of affordable financial services as a means to alleviate poverty.

European Microfinance Week will take place November 16-18, 2016, in Luxembourg. Applications are due by June 1, 2016.

The application is available at http://www.european-microfinance-award.com/fr/Home.
For additional information about European Microfinance Week, you may refer to http://www.e-mfp.eu/european-microfinance-week-2016/information.

By Imke Herholdt, Research Associate

This announcement is sponsored by the European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP), a 125-member network that offers European Microfinance Week each November in Luxembourg. MicroCapital will report live from the event.

About the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs – Directorate for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs
Luxembourg’s Directorate for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian affairs of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs has supported the inclusive finance sector for 20 years. The Ministry works with civil society stakeholders and networks specialised in microfinance to fund conceptual innovation, research and the development of new tools – as well as political action in national and international fora – by focusing particularly on integrating the most vulnerable into the financial inclusion sector. During 2014, Luxembourg spent EUR 318 million (USD 355 million) on overseas development aid.

About the European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP)
Founded in 2006, the European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP) is a network of approximately 125 microfinance organizations and individuals that aims to promote information exchange and other forms of cooperation among European microfinance actors working in developing countries. The membership includes financial institutions, government agencies, NGOs, consultancies, researchers and universities.

About the Inclusive Finance Network Luxembourg (InFiNe)
InFiNe is government organisation created by the government of Luxembourg in March 2014 to encourage financial inclusion, the delivery of affordable financial services to disadvantaged and low-earning people, to empower low-income groups. InFiNe brings together public, private and civil society participants involved in inclusive finance with the common objective of leveraging expertise in Luxembourg to advance financial inclusion globally. As of March 2016, InFiNe had 21 members.

Sources and Additional Resources

[1] Information provided directly to MicroCapital by European Microfinance Platform
[2] Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs – Directorate for Development Cooperation and Humanitarian Affairs
[3] Inclusive Finance Network Luxembourg
[4] MicroCapital Universe Profile: European Microfinance Platform

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