The authors of this study conducted a client-level analysis to examine differences in the investment behavior of female and male microcredit users in Kenya. The scope included
Tag: Loan
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: IDB Invest Lending $30m to Atlantic Bank in Support of MSMEs in Belize, with a Focus on Women-owned Firms
IDB Invest, a member of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Group, recently agreed to issue Atlantic Bank Limited of Belize senior loan funds of up to USD 30 million with the aim of fostering the expansion of Atlantic Bank’s financing for micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). The funding package is divided
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: RDG Collective Borrows $2m from Oikocredit for Pay-as-you-go Solar Appliances for 12k Low-income Households in Zambia
Dutch impact investor Oikocredit recently channeled USD 2 million to RDG Collective, a provider of renewable energy products to households in Zambia. Through this collaboration, RDG plans to supply 12,000 households with “access to clean energy
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: EBRD Loans $21m to BMCI of Morocco as Part of Women in Business (WiB) Program
The multilateral European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) recently agreed to loan up to MAD 220 million (USD 21.5 million) to Banque Marocaine pour le Commerce et l’Industrie (BMCI) in support of the Women in Business (WiB) program, through which EBRD serves women-led micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs)
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: OPEC Fund Lending $22m to Raiffeisen Bank for SMEs in Albania
As its first loan to a financial institution in Albania, the Austria-based OPEC Fund for International Development recently channeled EUR 20 million (USD 21.7 million) to the Albanian unit of Raiffeisen Bank to provide loans to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the country. The scheme especially targets
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Aflatoun, Fintech Robos to Collaborate on Financial Literacy in Middle East, North Africa
The Dutch NGO Aflatoun International and Bahrain-based financial advisory firm Fintech Robos recently agreed to collaborate on their efforts to expand financial literacy in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA). The partners plan to promote financial education through the development of “curriculum and training materials”
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: UNI2 Microcrédito of Colombia Raises $3m in Debt from Triodos Microfinance Fund, Triodos Fair Share Fund
Netherlands-based Triodos Investment Management recently disbursed a total of USD 3 million from its Triodos Microfinance Fund and Triodos Fair Share Fund to UNI2 Microcrédito, a Colombian microfinance institution (MFI), to support the growth of the MFI’s loan portfolio. Established in 2014, UNI2 provides microcredit for purposes such as
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Microfinance Institution PEBCo-Bethesda of Benin Borrows $2m from Incofin via Agricultural Liquidity Fund
Incofin, a Belgium-based investor, recently disbursed a loan of EUR 2 million (USD 2.1 million) to PEBCo-Bethesda, a microfinance institution in Benin, from the Agricultural Liquidity Fund (ALF).
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Money Fellows of Egypt Borrowing $2.2m from Symbiotics to Support Digital ROSCAs
Symbiotics Investments, a Switzerland-based investor focused on smaller businesses in low- and middle-income countries, recently issued a loan of USD 2.25 million to Egypt-based Money Fellows. Money Fellows plans to use the fresh capital to expand its digitization of rotating savings and credit associations (ROSCAs), also known as money circles, as well as to broaden
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Maquita Cushunchic Borrowing $2m from DID Aequitas Fund for Microfinance, Small-enterprise Lending in Ecuador
Cooperativa de Ahorro y Crédito Maquita Cushunchic, a financial institution founded by women in Ecuador, recently accepted a loan of USD 2 million from Aequitas, a fund managed by a holding of Desjardins International Development (DID), which in turn is a member of the Canada-based cooperative Desjardins Group. Maquita Cushunchic, which mainly serves micro- and small enterprises, was founded in 1997 and since has grown to serve
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: FMO Committing $30m to South Asia Growth Fund III to Support Equity Placements in Businesses Reducing Environmental Impacts, Mainly in India
US-based Global Environment Fund (GEF) Capital Partners recently secured USD 30 million for its South Asia Growth Fund (SAGF) III from the Dutch development bank Financierings-Maatschappij voor Ontwikkelingslanden (FMO). The funding is to boost the fund’s “equity and equity-linked” investments in middle-market institutions engaged in
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Hamkorbank of Uzbekistan Borrows $50m from FMO to Fund SMEs Owned by Women, Youth; Microenterprise; Climate Projects
The Dutch development bank Financierings-Maatschappij voor Ontwikkelingslanden (FMO) recently loaned USD 50 million to Uzbekistan-based Joint Stock Commercial Bank Hamkorbank. Hamkorbank plans to use 70 percent of the fresh funds to finance
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Kashf Foundation of Pakistan Borrows in Local Currency from SEB Microfinance Funds, Arranged by Symbiotics
Kashf Foundation, a provider of microloans and microinsurance to women in Pakistan, recently secured a local-currency loan of undisclosed size from SEB Microfinance Funds, an offering of
MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: “Worth Your Weight: Experimental Evidence on the Benefits of Obesity in Low-income Countries,” by Elise Macchi
This paper examines how the perception of obesity as a symbol of wealth can yield financial benefits to overweight people in southern Uganda. The author applied computer software to photos of 34 test subjects to create
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Verdant Capital Hybrid Fund Lending $9m to LOLC to Finance MSMEs in Africa
The German subsidiary of Verdant Capital recently agreed to lend USD 9 million from the Verdant Capital Hybrid Fund to support subsidiaries of Sri Lanka’s Lanka Orix Leasing Company (LOLC) Holdings that offer savings and loans in Africa. These institutions, which serve Democratic Republic of Congo,
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Reefy Microfinance Borrows $6.5m from EBRD for Youth-led MSMEs in Egypt
Reefy Microfinance Enterprise Services, an Egypt-based microfinance institution (MFI), recently agreed to accept a loan of EGP 200 million (USD 6.5 million) from the UK-based European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD). The loan is part of EBRD’s
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Mi-Bospo of Bosnia and Herzegovina Borrowing $2.2m from Grameen Credit Agricole Foundation for Microfinance Lending
Microcredit Foundation Mi-Bospo of Bosnia and Herzegovina recently agreed to borrow EUR 2 million (USD 2.2 million) from the Grameen Credit Agricole (GCA) Foundation, which has offices in France and Luxembourg. Mi-Bospo serves 26,000 clients, mostly women who live in rural areas. Its offerings include
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Access Bank Botswana Borrows $20m from OPEC Fund for MSMEs, 30% Earmarked for Women
Access Bank Botswana, a subsidiary of the Nigeria-based Access Bank Group, recently agreed to borrow USD 20 million from the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) Fund for International Development to on-lend to micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), with USD 6 million of the total