At 
the SAM (Semaine Africaine de la Microfinance) plenary on “Public Solutions to Promote Entrepreneurship in Africa,” Kennedy Komba of the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) explained that his institution’s SME (Small and Medium-sized Enterprise) Working Group comprises 53 regulatory and policy-making bodies. To facilitate the growth of entrepreneurship, these agencies have created collateral registries, adjusted lender liquidity ratios, updated know-your-customer frameworks and established rules for digital financial services. Trainers in Zambia used a financial education game to reach 5,000 people, of whom 80 percent were able to improve their businesses as a result. In Ghana, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Bank of Ghana collaborated to boost local value chains in an effort to reduce costly
Category: Events
SPECIAL REPORT: At SAM, a “Moral Obligation” to Include More People in the Financial System, Harvesting Wins $12k FMO Fintech for Microfinance Prize for Use of Satellite Data to Boost Agricultural Lending
At the gala dinner at the SAM (Semaine Africaine de la Microfinance) conference, Olivier Massart, the General Manager of ADA, argued that the attendees of the event have incurred a “moral obligation” to increase financial inclusion. The 650+ attendees spent an estimated total of USD 1 million to USD 2 million on travel and registration fees. Because they elected not to spend this money directly on serving poor people, Mr Massart challenged each delegate to bring at least one additional person in to the financial system for each
SPECIAL REPORT: Reinventing Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) to Meet the Needs of SMEs at SAM: Building Staff Capacity, Sharing Default Risk with Investors, Helping Entrepreneurs Think Big
On the second day of the SAM (Semaine Africaine de la Microfinance) conference, Godwin Ehigiamusoe of Nigeria’s LAPO discussed the needs and expectations of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). He explained that they generally are sensitive to price and prefer not to post collateral. Loan sizing and duration are key. From a lender’s perspective, SMEs need to get their records out of their heads and onto paper (if not into digital form). The Central Bank of Nigeria has six Entrepreneurship Development Centers at which business owners can get assistance with business plans and other support.
Mr Ehigiamusoe added that LAPO became involved with SME lending as its microenterprise clients grew. Likewise the staff of LAPO was in need of capacity development to serve their clients’ evolving needs. LAPO’s Sufen loan program is designed to identify female entrepreneurs with high growth potential and
SPECIAL REPORT: ADA, Grameen Credit Agricole Microfinance Foundation Sign Collaboration Agreement at SAM
After Tuesday’s sessions at the 
the SAM (Semaine Africaine de la Microfinance) conference, Olivier Massart, the General Manager of ADA, and Eric Campos, Managing Director of the Grameen Credit Agricole Microfinance Foundation (GCAMF), signed an agreement to collaborate on their institutions’ service delivery to microfinance institutions (MFIs). Mr Massart explained that the two Luxembourgish NGOs will work “hand in hand” in areas including the measurement of social impact. ADA specializes in technical assistance, and although GCAMF also provides technical assistance, it is a major local-currency funder of MFIs. Both institutions prioritize working with MFIs that serve people in rural areas as well as women in general.
Mr Campos told MicroCapital that a primary motivation for the collaboration is to reduce the workload for MFIs, which are often called upon to submit substantial amounts of overlapping data to funders and other interested parties. He also spoke passionately about how MFIs can maintain market share as fintech
SPECIAL REPORT: At SAM, Calls for Alternatives to Collateral, Acquiring Insurance, Technical Assistance, Cheaper Loans for SMEs
During the SAM (Semaine Africaine de la Microfinance) conference today, Willie Mzumala of Malawi’s Tapika Food Products described how he has grown his business over 13 years to employ 9 people year-round plus additional seasonal staff. However, he still is offered loans at interest rates as high as 45 percent. In addition to affordable financing, he sees a need for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to get help with marketing, getting international exposure and standardizing quality.
Richard Muteti of the Kenya National Federation of Jua Kali Associations repeated Mr Mzumala’s call for help with standardization and more affordable financing. Among other barriers to SME success, he cited lack of appropriately
SPECIAL REPORT: “Financial Inclusion and Job Creation in Africa” at the SAM Conference in Addis Ababa
Today at the SAM (Semaine Africaine de la Microfinance) conference, Laura Foschi of ADA addressed the question of “how to support enterprises as they make the transition from micro- to small and medium-sized.”
Rebecca Rouse of Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA), described how randomized controlled trials can help determine “how can we best create value, spaces and opportunities for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and SME growth.” For example, evaluating the effectiveness of a business training program is much more enlightening when
MICROFINANCE EVENT: 2017 Social Enterprise Conference; Columbia University, New York, USA; October 6, 2017
Event Name: Social Enterprise Conference – Leaders Taking a Stand: Social Impact in Turbulent Times
Event Date: October 6, 2017
Event Location: Columbia University, Lerner Hall, New York, New York, USA
Summary of Event: This event will explore how to enact social impact across
SPECIAL REPORT: “Lessons from Micro-leasing” at European Microfinance Week
MicroCapital: How does micro-leasing compare with microlending?
Manuel Hörl: Microcredits do not fit the needs of every situation. Often, the borrower cannot meet the collateral or other requirements for receiving a loan. Micro-leasing can allow a farmer, for example, to pre-finance the purchase of a productive asset, such as a cow. The farmer receives basic training in handling the asset, and risk is mitigated by
MICROFINANCE EVENT: High Water Women’s 2017 Investing for Impact Symposium; November 30, 2017; New York, USA
Event Name: High Water Women’s 2017 Investing for Impact Symposium
Event Date: November 30, 2017
Event Location: New York, New York, USA
Summary of Event: This conference is intended to connect impact investors with the goal of engaging women in the financial sector. The definition of impact investing used by the High Water Women Foundation (HWW) includes removing barriers to entering the financial sector, building up infrastructure in rural areas, breaking down social injustice and minimizing climate change. The session topics will include removing obstacles to change, women in impact investing, urban development, rural development, the environment and climate, housing, agriculture, diversity and challenges to measuring impact.
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Metrics from the Ground Up; NEW DATES: February 27 – 28, 2018; Nairobi, Kenya
Event Name: Metrics from the Ground Up
Event Date: NEW DATES -> February 27 – February 28, 2018
Event Location: Radisson Blu Nairobi; Nairobi, Kenya
Summary of Event: The ninth iteration of this conference will center on “aligning impact” by addressing variations in the definitions of impact, which depend on “context, country, and culture of origin.” The organizers hope to generate collaboration on defining “the African impact agenda.” The previous “Metrics” events were held in the US city of Washington DC.
SPECIAL REPORT: Registration Open for European Microfinance Week; November 29 – December 1, 2017; Luxembourg
Event Name: European Microfinance Week
Event Date: November 29 – December 1, 2017
Event Location: Luxembourg
Summary of Event: On November 29, the European Microfinance Platform’s (e-MFP’s) ten Action Groups will meet to build on months of work by holding in-depth discussions and training on their focus topics, such as inclusive green finance, digital innovations, small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) finance and rural finance.
On November 30 and December 1, more than 80 organisations will be represented in over 30 sessions covering front line topics such as low-cost technology for financial services providers, responsible exits, reaching scale in inclusive green finance, rural youth
MICROFINANCE EVENT: 3rd African International Conference on Islamic Finance; October 16-17, 2017; Abuja, Nigeria
Event Name: Third African International Conference on Islamic Finance
Event Location: Transcorp Hilton Abuja; Abuja, Nigeria
Summary of Event: This conference aims to highlight the ethics and impact of Islamic finance, primarily in West Africa. The agenda topics include ethical investment; regulations; financial technology; the alignment between Islamic finance and United Nations Sustainable Development Goals; and Islamic capital markets, including sukuk (bond) markets. One of the major ways that Islamic lending differs from mainstream loans is the use of mechanisms such as the sharing of profit and loss in lieu of conventional interest payments.
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Akhuwat, AlHuda Center of Islamic Banking and Economics Hosting 7th Global Islamic Microfinance Forum; November 24-25, 2017; Istanbul, Turkey
Event Name: Seventh Global Islamic Microfinance Forum: “Evidence of Impact – Financial Inclusion”
Event Dates: Conference: November 24 – November 25, 2017; Post-conference workshop: November 27 – November 28, 2017
Event Location: Istanbul Lütfi K?rdar International Convention and Exhibition Center; Istanbul, Turkey
Summary of Event: The primary objective of this event is to “create awareness of Islamic microfinance for the benefit of humankind.” Islamic microfinance consists of services conducted according to Shariah law, which includes a prohibition on charging interest in favor of concepts such as the sharing of profit and loss. The event will feature approximately 40 speakers from 30 countries covering topics including: the potential of Islamic microfinance; funding challenges faced by Islamic microfinance institutions (MFIs); the “Qarz-e-Hasan” model of Islamic microfinance; and “Micro Takaful, Waqf and Zakat – Supportive elements for Islamic microfinance.” AlHuda will also host a two day post-conference workshop called “Islamic Agriculture and Rural Finance.”
MICROFINANCE EVENT: The Microfinance Centre’s (MFC’s) Alternative Finance Forum; October 5, 2017; Warsaw, Poland
Event Name: Alternative Finance Forum
Event Location: Copernicus Conference Centre; Warsaw, Poland
Summary of Event: This forum aims to “introduce new forms of financial services” while covering topics including equity-based crowdfunding, social impact bonds, online lenders to small businesses and peer-to-peer lending platforms. The event has support from the European Union and its European Investment Bank Institute.
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Financial Inclusion Summit East Africa; September 5, 2017; Nairobi, Kenya
Event Name: Financial Inclusion Summit East Africa 2017
Event Date: September 5, 2017
Event Location: Radisson Blu Hotel; Nairobi, Kenya
Cost: The fee to attend is USD 440.
Summary of Event: This conference offers opportunities “to discuss critical challenges, opportunities, pilot programmes and future roadmaps” associated with financial inclusion across East Africa. The event will feature approximately a dozen sessions on topics such as: the financial inclusion gender gap; how to overcome barriers to financial inclusion; financial regulation; financial technology; and the dynamics between financial inclusion and the wider financial services industry.
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Munich Re Foundation, Microinsurance Network, APESEG to Host 13th International Microinsurance Conference, November 7-9, 2017, Lima, Peru
Event Name: 13th International Microinsurance Conference: Inclusive Insurance for the Mass Market
Event Date: November 7 – November 9, 2017
Event Location: Swissotel; Lima, Peru
Cost: The maximum fee to attend the conference is USD 1,390, with a range of discounts available, including tiered reductions for those registering by September 1 and October 31. There is no fee for representatives of regulatory and supervisory authorities.
Summary of Event: This conference aims to engage stakeholders on “accelerating growth and economic viability in microinsurance.” It will feature roughly 80 speakers covering topics including: microinsurance across Latin America and the Caribbean; the role of microinsurance in economic development; digital technologies for microinsurance; and the relationships among data, analytics and the future of microinsurance.
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Global Impact Investing Network’s (GIIN’s) Scaling Impact Investing: A Conversation Among Senior Leaders; September 18, 2017; New York, USA
Event Name: Scaling Impact Investing: A Conversation Among Senior Leaders
Event Date: September 18, 2017
Event Location: New York, New York, USA
Cost: There is no fee to attend, but registration is open only to staff of organizations that are members of the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN).
Summary of Event: This event will include “a showcase of large-scale blended finance funds” as well as discussions on investing in line with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals [1, 2].
MICROFINANCE EVENT: MaRS Social Finance Forum; November 9-10, 2017; Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Event Name: Social Finance Forum 2017
Event Date: November 9 – November 10, 2017
Event Location: MaRS Discovery District, Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Cost: CAD 350 (USD 278) until August 15; CAD 600 (USD 477) thereafter.
Summary of Event: This event will cover topics including new financial technologies, closing the funding gap for female entrepreneurs, the evolution of development aid and exit strategies for impact investments. The agenda includes workshops, presentations, product showcase booths and sessions for entrepreneurs to pitch their ideas to funders.