MICROFINANCE EVENT: MicroFinance Transparency (MFTransparency) & the Azerbaijani Microfinance Association (AMFA) to Hold Workshop & Kick off Transparent Pricing Initiative in Baku, Azerbaijan October 8th, 2009

Event Name: Transparent Pricing Initiative Training Workshop

Event Date: October 8, 2009

Event Location: Hotel Respublika, Baku, Azerbaijan

See Our Comprehensive Event Calendar Here: http://microfinanceassociation.ning.com/events

Cost: Not yet disclosed

Summary of Event:

The workshop is intended to train industry professionals on issues related to pricing transparency and consumer protection and will mark the launch of MFTransparency’s Transparent Pricing Initiative in the Azerbaijani Republic. This workshop is a follow-up to the AMFA Investor’s Fair on October 7, 2009. For MicroCapital coverage of this event, click here.

Event Theme and Topics:

Consumer protection
Pricing transparency
Interest and fees charged on microfinance loan products [1]

Background on Organizers:

MFTransparency is an international non-governmental organization founded in July 2008 by Chuck Waterfield. The purpose of the organization is to help achieve transparency and fair pricing in the microfinance industry, and to report true cost information and actual interest rates to people in the industry. This is achieved by first, collecting prices on all micro-loan products around the world and reporting these prices by a shared, objective measurement system. Second, MFTransparency develops and distributes educational materials to enable microfinance stakeholders to better understand the concept and fuction of interest rates and product pricing [2]. Based in the United States, MFTransparency has previously been active in Bosnia, Peru, Cambodia, and Bangladesh. For more information, please visit www.mftransparency.org. For MicroCapital coverage of the organization, click here.

The Azerbaijani Micro?finance Association (AMFA) is a microfinance industry organization in Azerbaijan. Founded in 2001, AMFA now serves 26 microfinance institutions and downscaling commercial banks in the country. As of December 31, 2007, AMFA reported total assets of USD 54, 447, an outstanding portfolio of USD 384, 140, 533, and 254, 854 active clients. The cumulative value of loans disbursed was USD 895, 203, 777 [3]. AMFA supports the health of microfinance in Azerbaijan through training, and conferences as well as working with the government to define their regulatory framework. For more information please see www.amfa.az [1].

Location Information:

Hotel Respublika

24 Khagani Street

Baku, Azerbaijan

Tel: (+994 12) 598 10 48/58

Fax: (+994 12) 493 09 26

General Inquiry: info@hotelrespublika.com

Website: http://www.hotelrespublika.com/

For questions regarding this event, please contact:

Michael Meehan

MFTransparency

+1.215.840.3696