UK-based Babb Group recently launched its eponymous mobile money app, which offers money transfers as well as the option to store funds as “decentralized crypto, backed stable-coins, and regulated fiat money” and convert among these options. Babb’s Currency X is one such “stable coin,” which is
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Oxfam, Goodwell Launch Pepea, $23m Fund to Invest in SMEs in East Africa
Two Netherlands-based organizations, the NGO Oxfam Novib and for-profit Goodwell Investments recently partnered to create Pepea Fund, with EUR 20 million (USD 22.8 million) from Oxfam Novib to support small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Kenya, Ethiopia and Uganda. Goodwell Investments will
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Lidya to Shift from Retail Lending to Providing Fintech Infrastructure
Lidya, a US-based financial technology (fintech) firm that has provided digital loans in Nigeria, the Czech Republic and Poland, recently announced it will shift its focus to providing technology infrastructure to financial institutions. Lidya’s credit platform helps lenders “originate, manage and collect loans,” including via the Collect tool, which is intended to
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Equity for Tanzania, New Holland to Lease Tractors to Small-scale Farmers
The Italy-based equipment manufacturer New Holland recently collaborated with leasing company Equity for Tanzania (EFTA) to deliver 200 tractors to Tanzania in an effort to enhance mechanization among small-scale farmers, improve agricultural productivity and strengthen food security. The effort includes
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Finance Magnates Africa Summit; May 8-10, 2023; Johannesburg, South Africa
This event offers sessions including: (1) The Global Economy, African View: Facing Financial Distress; (2) Fintech in Africa: Opportunities in
MICROFINANCE EVENT: European Microfinance Network (EMN) Annual Conference; June 14-16, 2023; Paris, France
Themed “Economy for the People,” the 20th annual iteration of this event will focus on financial inclusion and social entrepreneurship. The agenda will include topics such as: (1) crisis management for entrepreneurs; (2) the needs of
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Ilu Women’s Empowerment Fund Invests $1m in Acceso Financiero for Microfinance in Honduras
The managers of the Ilu Women’s Empowerment Fund recently invested USD 1 million from the fund in the Honduran unit of Mexico-based Acceso Financiero, a microfinance institution (MFI) that provides credit to approximately 40,000 low-income clients in rural El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Mexico. The investment, which is in the form of “risk adjusted blended finance capital,” is
MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: “Impacts of Microcredit Access on Climate Change Adaptation Strategies Adoption and Rice Yield in Kwara State, Nigeria,” by Adejoke Yewande Bakare et al
Because 70 percent of Nigeria’s population is active in agriculture as a primary occupation, climate change has a direct impact on the livelihoods of most people in the country. Access to microcredit can
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: KosInvest Borrows $650k from Grameen Crédit Agricole for Microfinance in Kosovo
The Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation, a Luxembourg-based investor in social businesses, recently issued a two-year loan of EUR 600,000 (USD 660,000) to KosInvest, a Kosovo-based microfinance institution (MFI) affiliated with the US-based Christian NGO World Vision. KosInvest provides microinsurance as well as loans designed for purposes such as
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: DPAM, Korys Buy Equity in Incofin Investment Management to Boost Impact, Including Via Climate, Gender Funds
Belgium-based Incofin Investment Management recently sold fresh equity shares to two Belgian, family-controlled investment firms, Degroof Petercam Asset Management (DPAM) and Korys Investments. Incofin Investment Management remains
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Al Tadamun Circulating Mobile Branches to Boost Microfinance for Women in Egypt
Al Tadamun Microfinance Foundation of Egypt is launching three vehicles that will serve as mobile branches in the regions of Cairo, Dakhalia and Minya. Among the goals of the effort are to “contribute to the speed of disbursement of financing and reducing the cost of time and money incurred by the client in order to
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: MLF Malawi Partnering with ADA, Grameen Credit Agricole to Develop Digital Finance for Women Farmers
The Malawi-based unit of the UK’s Microloan Foundation (MLF) recently partnered with two Luxembourgish NGOs, the Grameen Credit Agricole (GCA) Foundation and ADA (Appui au Développement Autonome), to boost its services to female smallholder farmers by creating digital loan, savings and transfer products tailored to their needs. A total of 17,000 women are to be trained in using the new products with the aim of
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Credolab, Provenir Seek to Boost Financial Inclusion with Predictive Software
Two financial technology (fintech) companies, Singapore-based Credolab and US-based Provenir, recently formed a partnership intended to increase financial inclusion. Provenir, which provides a “unified risk decisioning solution” for lenders, will offer its clients the
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: OnePuhunan Borrows $10m from MicroVest to Boost Microfinance for Women in the Philippines
MicroVest, an asset manager and subsidiary of US-based DAI Global, has reported lending USD 10 million to CreditAccess Philippines Financing Company, also known as OnePuhunan, a microfinance institution (MFI) that primarily lends to low-income female entrepreneurs and artisans. The MFI was founded in 2014 and is a
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Bank of Maldives Borrowing $40m from ADB, JICA, OeEB, for Blue Economy, SMEs, Tourism
The multilateral Asian Development Bank (ADB) recently announced a syndicated funding package of USD 41 million for the Bank of Maldives Plc (BML) to support tourism and other sectors. ADB syndicated the funding, which encompasses
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: AMK of Cambodia Borrowing $7.5m for Green Microfinance via Bond Issue from BII, Symbiotics
Symbiotics Investments, a Switzerland-based investor focused on smaller businesses in low- and middle- income countries, recently disbursed USD 7.5 million to Cambodia’s AMK Microfinance Institution to fund its ongoing lending for electric two- and three-wheeled vehicles as well as new products, such as
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Annapurna of India Borrows $10m from MicroVest to Expand Microfinance for Rural Women
MicroVest, an asset management subsidiary of US-based DAI Global, recently lent USD 10 million to Annapurna Finance, an India-based microfinance institution (MFI) that lends to groups of women for purposes such as agriculture, crafts, solar lighting and housing improvements. The MFI also lends to
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) Impact Forum; October 4-5, 2023; Copenhagen, Denmark
This event will address sustainable development via impact investing. The agenda offers sessions including: (1) Impact Analytics, Predictive and Optimization tools: What Does “Good” Impact Look Like?; (2) Designing the Future of