Smart Credit, a microfinance institution (MFI) operating 12 branch locations in Moldova, recently accepted a local-currency loan approximately equivalent to USD 525,000 from the Luxembourg-based Grameen Crédit Agricole (GCA) Foundation. Founded in 2010, Smart Credit offers
Tag: investment
MICROFINANCE EVENT: SuperReturn Africa; December 5-7, 2022; Cape Town, South Africa
The 13th edition of this event will focus on “market trends, challenges and innovations” in Africa. On December 5, the event will feature summits covering three topics: (1) fundraising; (2) infrastructure; and (3) ESG [environmental, social and governance issues] & impact. The remaining days will
MICROFINANCE EVENT: 19th Inclusive Finance India Summit; January 17-18, 2023; New Delhi, India
This event is intended to advance dialogue on the challenges associated with financial inclusion. Although the agenda has not been released to date, last year’s iteration of the summit featured sessions including
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Gojo Raises $48m in Equity for Microfinance, Eyeing Digitalization in Asia, Expansion to Africa
Gojo and Company, an investor in financial inclusion in Asia, recently raised USD 48 million in a Series E equity round led by three of its ongoing investors, which were joined by 18 new investment firms and several individual investors. The plan for the fresh cash includes “strengthening the
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: EU Guaranteeing $113m to Support $490m in Lending by EBRD to MSMEs in Eastern Europe, North Africa, Western Asia
In partnership with the multilateral European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the EU recently agreed to guarantee up to EUR 115 million (USD 113 million) in loans distributed by retail financial services providers (FSPs) to micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in selected countries of
MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: “A Brief Introduction to WASH for Impact Investors;” by Joana Afonso, Sachin Kumar, Alvaro Ma; Published by e-MFP, Aqua for All
This report on funding water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) cites the UN’s Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 6 – Clean Water and Sanitation – as well as data indicating 3.6 billion people worldwide have limited access to
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Coop TLM Borrows $1.3m from Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation for Microfinance in Indonesia
The Luxembourg-based Grameen Crédit Agricole (GCA) Foundation has reported disbursing a local-currency loan approximately equivalent to USD 1.3 million to Coop TLM, a nonprofit microfinance institution in Indonesia. Established in 2010 by the Tanaoba Lais Manekat (TLM) Foundation and headquartered in the city of Kota Kupang, Coop TLM seeks
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Citing “Impatience with the Pace,” Calvert Impact Restructures to Boost Microfinance, Green Investment
US-based NGO Calvert Impact Capital is rebranding itself as Calvert Impact, a name it has given to the NGO that will hold a group of subsidiaries that will continue to serve retail investors, institutional investors and financial advisors. CEO Jennifer Pryce stated, “We found that our original organizational framework sometimes prevented us from going bigger and bolder…. Our strategy reflects our impatience with the pace of adoption across the capital markets. We…need to double down on what we know works in and for communities.”
Calvert Impact subsidiaries will continue with the organization’s past activities, such as offering Community Investment Notes in denominations as small as
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation Loans $1.9m to ACF for Microfinance in Kazakhstan
Asian Credit Fund (ACF), a rural microfinance institution (MFI) in Kazakhstan, recently borrowed approximately USD 2 million from the Luxembourg-based Grameen Crédit Agricole (GCA) Foundation. Founded in 1997 by the US-based NGO Mercy Corps, ACF provides
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Africa Fintech Summit; November 2-4, 2022; Cape Town, South Africa
The eighth edition of this event offers attendees 21 sessions presented by stakeholders representing fintech [financial technology] firms and investors overseeing total capital of USD 4.5 billion. The detailed event program is yet to be announced, but it is to include
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation Loans $1.9m to Mikra for Microfinance in Bosnia and Herzegovina
The Grameen Crédit Agricole (GCA) Foundation, which is headquartered in Luxembourg, has reported issuing a loan of EUR 1.9 million (USD 1.9 million) to the microfinance institution (MFI) Mikra of Bosnia and Herzegovina. Mikra, whose head office is in the city of Sarajevo, seeks to
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Grameen Crédit Agricole Lends $1.2m to Microfinance Institution Microinvest of Moldova
The Grameen Crédit Agricole (GCA) Foundation, whose head office is in Luxembourg,
has recently announced it has provided a loan of EUR 1.2 million (USD 1.2 million) to Microinvest, a Moldova-based microfinance institution. Established in 2003 and majority-held by the Balkan Financial Sector Equity Fund, Microinvest offers
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Monte Credit Borrows $600k from Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation for Agricultural, Business Microfinance in Montenegro
The Grameen Crédit Agricole (GCA) Foundation, whose head office is in Luxembourg, has announced disbursing a loan of EUR 600,000 (USD 600,000) to the Montenegro-based microfinance institution (MFI) Monte Credit. Monte Credit focuses on
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation Lends $860k to Salym for Microfinance in Kyrgyzstan
The Luxembourg-based Grameen Crédit Agricole (GCA) Foundation has reported providing a loan in local currency approximately equivalent to USD 860,000 to Salym Finance, a microfinance institution (MFI) in Kyrgyzstan, with the aim
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) Investor Forum; October 12-13, 2022; the Hague, the Netherlands
The goal of this event is to connect the various elements of “the impact ecosystem” to expand the impact investing market, thus boosting efforts to create “positive, measurable social and environmental impact” alongside financial returns. The agenda includes sessions
MICROFINANCE EVENT: MEDA Convention: Celebrating Entrepreneurship; November 2-6, 2022; Lancaster, Pennsylvania, USA
With the aim of advancing the success of entrepreneurs, this event offers plenary sessions such as: (1) Revolutionizing Investment in Sub-Saharan Africa: Bridging the Finance Gap for Women Entrepreneurs; and (2) Food Security: Addressing the Risks in Our Global Food Systems and What It Means for Entrepreneurs. On November 5, the MEDAx Pitch Competition offers prizes
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Fintech for Inclusion Global Summit; November 3, 2022; the Hague, the Netherlands
This event on financial technology (fintech) will cover innovations in agri-finance, agri-technology, payments, measuring outcomes, embedded finance, blockchain and gender-lens investing. Participants will also have opportunities
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: PAIDEK of DRC, MicroLoan Foundation Zambia Borrow $1m from Grameen Crédit Agricole for Microfinance in Africa
The Luxembourg-based Grameen Crédit Agricole (GCA) Foundation recently announced it has issued a loan of approximately USD 550,000 to Programme d’Appui aux Initiatives de Développement Economique du Kivu (PAIDEK) of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and