MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Seedstars Accepting Applications from Fintechs Offering “Financial Innovations for Women Affected by Migration” Through July 30

Seedstars, a Switzerland-based investment and education firm, is accepting applications from financial technology (fintech) startups looking to scale up their services to women in Africa and Asia who have migrated from their homes or whose family members have done so. Seedstars is offering this support through its Financial Innovations for Women Affected by Migration (FIWAM) programme, which includes

MICROFINANCE WRAP-UP: “Resilience: COVID-19 Crisis Through A Migration Lens;” Published by Global Knowledge Partnership on Migration and Development (KNOMAD)

This brief provides an overview of recent trends in migration and remittances globally. Overall, remittances to low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) remained relatively stable through the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, decreasing from USD 548 billion in 2019 to USD 540 billion in 2020. Many countries used “counter-cyclical fiscal policy” to stimulate their economies, which

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: ECCAS, UNCDF Pursue Better Digital Remittances To, Within Central Africa

The 11-member Economic Community of Central African States (ECCAS) and the UN Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) recently entered a two-year agreement through which they aim to expand “affordable and convenient access to digital remittances” for migrants transferring money to family members in their home countries. Priti Sinha, the Executive Secretary of UNCDF said,