The first day of this event is a conference featuring a presentation by Dr Irfan Yusuf Shami, the Pakistani ambassador to Uzbekistan. The other speakers include Pervez Nasim, the CEO of Ansar Financial and Development Corporation, and Muhammed Zubair, the CEO of AlHuda CIBE.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Pakistan Launches Electronic Registry of Movable Assets, with Support from IFC
The Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan recently created an electronic registry to encourage the country’s banks, microfinance institutions (MFIs) and leasing companies to accept moveable assets as collateral for loans. The collateral registry will help these institutions “to register rights in moveable assets in offering credit to people, as well as micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises” (MSMEs). Moveable assets may include
MICROFINANCE EVENT: 3rd Annual Asia-Pacific (APAC) Microfinance Forum; October 20-21, 2020; Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The first day of this event will focus on topics including the impact of COVID-19, overindebtedness, gender disparities in financing, providing services via tablets and mobile phones, and competing with digital lenders. The second day will consist of presentations and panel discussions on topics such as:
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Sindhuja Microcredit of India Raises $8.7m in Equity Sale to Carpediem Capital, Nordic Microfinance Initiative
The majority owners of Sindhuja Microcredit, a lender to women in India, recently sold minority shareholdings to Carpediem Capital, an India-based private equity fund manager, and the Nordic Microfinance Initiative (NMI), a public-private partnership based in Norway, for a total of USD 8.7 million. The sizes of the stakes have not been released. Carpediem also invested USD 4 million in Sindhuja in 2019. India’s Vidura Capital served as advisor on the transaction.
The promoters of Sindhuja, Abhisheka Kumar and Malkit Didyala, issued a statement that, “Our customers, self-employed rural women, are the most vulnerable in the COVID–19 world… with their livelihoods under direct threat, this funding will be used to
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Accion Venture Lab Takes Equity Stake in Colombian Fintech R5, Provider of Online Loans, Car Insurance
Accion Venture Lab, a unit of US-based NGO Accion, recently purchased an unspecified amount of equity in Colombian financial technology (fintech) firm R5, an online insurance and lending platform. Most of R5’s borrowers pledge vehicles as collateral and use the loan proceeds for
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: 40 Funders Commit $75m via World Economic Forum COVID Response Alliance for Social Entrepreneurs
The World Economic Forum, a Switzerland-based nonprofit, recently convened the COVID Response Alliance for Social Entrepreneurs, through which 40 organizations are aligning their efforts to reduce the economic and other impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. These 40 organizations support 15,000 entrepreneurs who have served a total of 1.5 billion customers in 190 countries by “protecting livelihoods; mitigating millions of tonnes of carbon dioxide; improving access to health, sanitation, education and energy; [and having] driven social inclusion movements for the disabled, homeless or those with refugee status.”
The alliance members have committed a total of USD 75 million in response to the pandemic. In addition, they are working together to assess needs; increase recovery funding; coordinate legal, technological and
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Aviator EMF Invests $3.1m in Midland Microfin for Microfinance for Women in India
Aviator Emerging Market Fund (EMF), a Mauritius-based entity, recently invested USD 3.1 million in Midland Microfin Limited, a microfinance institution (MFI) that provides women in India with small business loans and insurance services. Most of the loans that the MFI issues are
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship (CASE) Offers Covidcap.com Database of $1t in Cash Relief for Small Businesses Impacted by COVID-19
The US-based Center for the Advancement of Social Entrepreneurship (CASE) recently created a database of funding sources for small businesses needing assistance because of the COVID-19 pandemic. These listings include 550 funding sources in 62 countries offering a total of approximately USD 1 trillion. This funding takes the form of loans and grants and is available to
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: SafeBoda Uganda, UNCDF Launch E-commerce Platform for Market Vendors Looking to Maintain Operations During Pandemic
SafeBoda, a Uganda-based owner of an app for hailing motorcycle rides in three countries, and the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), a UN agency that supports small businesses in developing countries, recently partnered to launch an e-commerce platform. This is a response to the
SPECIAL REPORT: COVID-19: Communicate – Learn – Act, by Christian Ruehmer of Q-Lana
COVID-19 
is having significant effects on our personal and professional lives. We have heard a lot of suggestions of how financial institutions can handle this critical situation. Summarizing the information of the past days and weeks, we see three key steps, “communication,” “learning” and “acting,” which can be applied among four target groups: “staff,” “clients,” “investors” and “regulators.” We keep our findings short and focused:
Staff:
Communicate: Staff members work from home or provides essential services under stress. Understand their worries. Show empathy for their problems. Communicate regularly through multiple channels. Encourage collaboration.
Learn: Is communication technology working? What are the personal challenges? How can staff stay motivated? Can you maintain
SPECIAL REPORT: True Leaders Shine in Crises! – by Ute Bühler, Frankfurt School of Finance and Management
Out 
of control vs under control
As leaders, we are a source of inspiration to those around us. We can guide others to draw on their inner strength and innovate to face challenges with courage and proactive decision-making.
I have been coaching leaders for five years at Frankfurt School. Rarely do we come across a situation like the pandemic we face today. In these times, true leaders will shine. By leadership, I mean not only leading a team but also adapting to the unexpected and creating an effective plan to deal with the situation at hand.
In my coaching sessions, I share content to help you help others navigate the uncertainty of a crisis. This includes giving you tools for continually motivating your staff, as well as maintaining
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Fintech and Insurtech Innovator Summit (FINNOSUMMIT) for Innovation on Financial Services in Latin America; September 22-24, 2020; Mexico City
This event offers speakers, panels and workshops related to financial technology (fintech) and insurance technology (insurtech). The scheduled speakers include Sean Ringstead, the Chief Digital Officer at US-based publicly traded insurer Chubb, and Shuy Nyatta the Managing Partner at
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: LinkAja, Ovo, Gojek’s GoPay May Help Facebook Launch Mobile Payments in Indonesia
Facebook, a US-based social networking company, is discussing launching a mobile payment service in Indonesia in partnership with three Indonesian mobile payment services: the government-backed
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: 9 Microfinance Investment Vehicles Coordinate Response to Effects of Pandemic on MFIs, MSMEs in 80 Countries
The COVID-19 pandemic and efforts to reduce its health impacts have had major negative economic consequences for micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs). These enterprises thus are having difficulty repaying the loans they have outstanding from microfinance institutions (MFIs) and other retail lenders, leading to liquidity challenges for these lenders. In response, nine investors in these lenders, which have an aggregate of USD 15 billion invested in 80 low- and middle-income countries, are working together to support the long-term viability of the retail financial services providers (FSPs).
The nine investors, which manage a range of microfinance investment vehicles (MIVs) and other funds seeking to generate positive social impact, have arrived at a non-binding agreement to
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Reserve Bank of India Moves to Increase Liquidity for MSMEs, Farmers Impacted by COVID-19 via MFIs, NBFCs
In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), India’s central banking authority, recently moved to increase the supply of credit to farmers and micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) via microfinance institutions (MFIs) and non-banking finance companies (NBFCs). These steps include
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Calvert Impact Capital Opens $15m Credit Line for FINCA, Owner of 20 Microfinance Institutions (MFIs)
Calvert Impact Capital, a US-based NGO, recently opened a five-year credit line of USD 15 million for FINCA Impact Finance to use in support of its 20 microfinance institutions in Africa, the Americas and Eurasia. The funding is available for on-lending to micro- and small enterprises (MSEs) as well as for
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Finovate Fall; September 14-16, 2020; New York, USA
This event will cover innovation in the financial technology (fintech) industry. The opening Industry Day has five topic areas, each with about 10 speakers giving short presentations on their areas of expertise. The topic areas are
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Amid Pandemic, Fintechs Pause Some Projects, But Innovate to Care for Customers, Staff
MIX, an NGO based in the US city of Washington, recently surveyed 25 financial technology (fintech) providers and investors regarding their responses to the COVID-19 pandemic. Over the past two months, investment in fintech providers has fallen, as has their revenue, due to lower remittance and lending volumes. The fees that fintechs charge are also down, sometimes at fintechs’ choosing, but sometimes by government decree. Clients have more incentive to use mobile money due to travel restrictions, branch and agent closures, and the potential transmission of germs via cash. However, they have less money to transact. One study found that four in five business owners in Kenya did not