Tarayana Micro Finance recently became licensed as a microfinance institute (MFI), independent of its incubator, the Tarayana Foundation of Bhutan. The MFI provides individual and group loans in rural areas, with interest rates of 15 percent. Smaller “classic” loans support existing enterprises, while larger loans are available for “pre-selected livelihood models with a proven market and reliable value chain.” These larger “development” loans are disbursed in the form of “materials and
Search Results for: Bhutan
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: World Bank’s IDA Commits $30m to Bhutan for Goals Including Boosting Small Business, Access to Finance
The International Development Association (IDA), a unit of the World Bank, recently approved a loan of USD 30 million to Bhutan in an effort to strengthen the government’s financial management, create jobs and “improve the investment climate” in the country by increasing: (1) domestic revenue; (2) access to financial services; (3) the number of small firms using existing incubation centers; (4)
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Mountain Hazelnut Venture Limited of Bhutan Secures $12m in Equity from G20’s GAFSP, ADB, IFC
The Global Agricultural and Food Security Program (GAFSP), a multilateral mechanism established by the G20 group of 20 large economies, has approved an equity investment of USD 6 million in Mountain Hazelnut Venture Limited (Mountain Hazelnuts), a for-profit promoter of the production of hazelnuts in Bhutan.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: International Finance Corporation Invests $28m in Equity in Bhutan National Bank to Increase Financial Inclusion; Lending to Micro-, Small and Medium-sized Enterprises
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private-investment arm of the World Bank Group, has invested USD 28 million in Bhutan National Bank, a publicly owned commercial bank, to increase its lending to micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Bhutan Royal Monetary Authority (RMA) Set to Approve Financial Inclusion Policy, Wholesale Microfinance Lender
The Royal Monetary Authority (RMA) of Bhutan, the country’s central bank, reportedly is finalizing a Financial Inclusion Policy (FIP) to enhance the country’s microfinance sector.
MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: “Microfinance Clients Facing the COVID-19 Crisis: From Findings to Action for MFIs;” by Mathilde Bauwin, Thu Hien Dao; Published by ADA
This 
paper explores the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on clients of microfinance institutions (MFIs) in terms of: “Which client segments are most affected? How are they coping with the situation? What are they doing to
MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: “Deploying Blended Finance to Mobilize Investment at Scale in Food and Agriculture;” by Bettina Prato et al; Published by SAFIN, Convergence
The authors of this paper discuss the “financing landscape” of the food and agriculture sector and argue in favor of increasing the deployment of blended finance, “the use of catalytic capital from public or philanthropic sources to increase private sector investment.” A report from the 2019 UN Conference on Trade and Development estimates that the private sector could fund
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Government of Luxembourg Pledges $1.4m to UNCDF for Work Toward SDGs Including Microfinance
The government of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg recently announced its 2019 contribution to support the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) in working toward the UN sustainable development goals (SDGs) in least developed countries
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: World Bank Group’s IBRD Lending $400m to Industrial Development Bank of Turkey (TSKB) for SMEs, “Women-inclusive” Enterprises, Businesses Serving Syrian Refugees
The International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD), a unit of the US-based World Bank, recently approved a 29-year loan of USD 400 million to the Inclusive Access to Finance Project, an initiative sponsored by the Turkish government that is designed
MICROFINANCE EVENT: 8th Global Housing Summit: “Breaking the Mold – New Ideas for Financing Affordable Housing”; May 29 – June 1, 2018; Washington, DC, USA
Event Summary: This event will review how technology, government policies and other factors are affecting the financing of housing for people with low incomes. The program on May 29 includes a visit to the World Bank’s headquarters and pre-conference sessions such as the
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: International Finance Corporation (IFC) Appoints Nepal’s White Lotus Centre to Manage Business Oxygen Private Equity Fund to Invest in Small, Medium-Sized Enterprises (SMEs)
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the US-based World Bank Group that aims to support economic growth in developing countries, recently announced that it has appointed White Lotus Centre Private Limited, a Nepalese advisory firm which specializes in “private sector development, public communications and project management”[2], as the fund manager for Business Oxygen, a private equity fund in Nepal that was founded in 2012.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: International Finance Corporation (IFC), Government of Canada to Loan $85m to Dewan Housing Finance of India for “Green” Mortgages
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the US-based World Bank, and the government of Canada have partnered to loan USD 85 million to Dewan Housing Finance Corporation of India, a for-profit housing finance company, to finance “green” mortgages under the joint IFC-Canada Climate Change Program.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: International Finance Corporation (IFC) Makes $3m Equity Investment in Bina Usaha Keluarga (BUK) of Indonesia, Seeking to Triple Female Clients of Microfinance Institution Mitra Bisnis Keluarga Ventura (MBK)
Bina Usaha Keluarga (BUK), the Indonesia-based controlling shareholder of Mitra Bisnis Keluarga Ventura (MBK), a microfinance institution (MFI) in the same country, recently received an equity infusion of IDR 34.3 billion (USD 3 million) from the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a US-based international financial institution and a member of the US-based World Bank Group, to triple the number of female clients of MBK.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: International Finance Corporation (IFC) to Loan Up to $11m to Suryoday Micro Finance of India
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), a member of the US-based World Bank Group, plans to loan up to USD 11 million to Indian microfinance institution (MFI) Suryoday Micro Finance Private Limited.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: International Finance Corporation (IFC) Acquires 15% Stake in National Bank of Vanuatu for $2.2m
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the commercial arm of the World Bank Group, recently paid USD 2.2 million to acquire a 15-percent stake in the National Bank of Vanuatu, a financial institution that offers traditional banking services, microfinance and rural banking services in Vanuatu.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: International Finance Corporation (IFC) Extends $5m Trade Facility to Laxmi Bank of Nepal to Support Small Businesses
The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private-investment arm of the World Bank Group, recently announced that it extended a USD 5 million trade facility to Laxmi Bank, a Nepalese commercial bank that was established in 2002, to support the development of small businesses and international trade opportunities in Nepal.
WHO’S WHO IN MICROFINANCE: Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD) Inc. of the Philippines
The Center for Agriculture and Rural Development (CARD) Inc. was established in December 1986 as a social development fund. In 1997, it became the first NGO to transform into a licensed rural bank. CARD was founded by Dr. Jaime Aristotle B. Alip, and organized by 15 rural development practitioners as a response to the growing poverty rate in Regions IV and V of the Philippines. Their vision was to establish a bank created for, and owned and managed by landless rural women. In 1989, a group-lending pilot was launched by CARD, based on the Grameen Bank’s methodology. A year later, CARD launched its credit arm, the Landless People’s Development Fund (LPDF) [1].
MICROCAPITAL STORY: Indian Finance Minister Promises Credit to North Eastern Region
The Finance Minister of India stated that the North Eastern region of India would receive an increased flow of credit from the central government, addressing the Special Summit on Banking, Industries and Credit Issues in the North Eastern Region organised by the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) at Vigyan Bhavan. The Finance Minister, Chidambaram, stated that although the North Eastern region is not currently receiving enough credit, it will begin to. The Summit was attended by the Minister of Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER), the deputy Governor of Reserve Bank of India, the Chairman of the State Bank of India and other top officials of line ministries and financial institutions.