MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: IDB Loans $50m to BRDE to Support MSMEs in Southern Brazil in Retaining Employees During Pandemic

The Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), which is owned by 48 member nations, recently issued a loan of USD 50 million, with a term of 15 years and a 5.5-year grace period, to Banco Regional de Desenvolvimento do Extremo Sul (BRDE), which is owned by three states in southern Brazil. BRDE will on-lend the funds through its Recupera Sul credit line product in an effort to support micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in adjusting to the COVID-19 pandemic. The primary goal is to help these firms to preserve employment in order to hasten economic recovery after the pandemic, decreasing the burden on social programs.

MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: Developpement International Desjardins (DID): “A Roadmap for Making Inclusive Finance a Driving Force for Rural Development and Food Security”

This is a summary of a paper published by Developpement international Desjardins (DID), February 2018, 24 pages, available at: https://www.did.qc.ca/media/documents/en/positionnements/agricultural-finance-roadmap.pdf.

This report outlines a set of indicators that correlate with how easily the actors in a country’s agricultural sector – ranging from smallholder farmers to commercial producers – can access affordable and reliable services from financial institutions:

1. Producers’ Stage of Development: Financial service providers have more incentive to engage with agricultural producers if the producers have greater operational capacity and productivity, including the ability to demonstrate their ability to yield return on investment. Other qualities that make producers

MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: Center for Financial Inclusion, Institute of International Finance: “Accelerating Financial Inclusion with New Data;” by Ethan Loufield, Dennis Ferenzy, Tess Johnson

This is a summary of a paper published by the Center for Financial Inclusion (CFI) and the Institute of International Finance (IIF), May 2018, 30 pages, available at: http://www.centerforfinancialinclusion.org/storage/Accelerating_Financial_Inclusion_With_Data_2018.05_Final.pdf.

This report presents the following cases of financial service providers using emerging data analysis techniques to reach underserved markets:

1.WeBank, an online Chinese bank, uses social media data to evaluate loan applicants.

MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: Asian Development Bank (ADB): “Embracing the E-commerce Revolution in Asia and the Pacific”

This is a summary of a paper published by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), June 2018, 101 pages, available at:
https://www.adb.org/sites/default/files/publication/430401/embracing-e-commerce-revolution.pdf
.

MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: AgriProFocus, ICCO Cooperation, Rabobank Foundation: “Critical Capital for African Agri-Food SMEs;” by Bert van Manen, Boubacar Diallo, Miraj Desaj, Paul Njenga

Following is a summary of a paper by Bert van Manen, Boubacar Diallo, Miraj Desaj and Paul Njenga; published by the Interchurch Organization for Development Cooperation (ICCO Cooperation); May 2018; 60 pages; available at: https://www.icco-cooperation.org/Portals/2/Files/Publications/Critical%20Capital%20Web.pdf

MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: IFC, Sanabel: Transforming Microfinance Institutions in the Arab World; by Alex Silva, Mohammed Khaled, Karen Beshay

This is a summary of a paper by Alex Silva, Mohammed Khaled and Karen Beshay; published by the International Finance Corporation (IFC); May 2018; 40 pages; available at:
https://www.ifc.org/wps/wcm/connect/1ffc3ec0-63ac-4426-863c-c7d1b8b0df46/ESOP-Transforming+22-5-2018.pdf?MOD=AJPERES

In March 2017, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a unit of the World Bank Group, and Sanabel, a network of microfinance institutions (MFIs) in the Arab region, conducted a survey of 20 MFIs

MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN): “8th Annual Impact Investment Survey,” Sponsored by US Agency for International Development (AID), UK Department for International Development (DFID)

Following is a summary of a paper published by the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN), May 2018, 53 pages, available at:
https://thegiin.org/assets/2018_GIIN_Annual_Impact_Investor_Survey_webfile.pdf

The Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) recently collected “229 respondents’ perspectives on the growth and development of the impact investing industry” as part of its Annual Impact Investment Survey.

MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: Center for Financial Inclusion (CFI): “Financial Inclusion Hype vs Reality: Deconstructing the 2017 Findex Results”; by Elisabeth Rhyne, Sonja E Kelly

Following is a summary of a paper by Elisabeth Rhyne, Sonja E Kelly, published by the Center for Financial Inclusion (CFI), May 2018, 31 pages, available at: http://www.centerforfinancialinclusion.org/storage/documents/FI_Hype_vs_Reality_Deconstructing_2017_Findex_Results.pdf.

The authors of this paper reviewed data from the World Bank’s annual Global Findex survey, which includes data from

MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: Triple Jump: “How Microfinance is Navigating the Fintech Revolution in Africa”; by Imelde Adjaffon, Gera Voorrips

Following is a summary of a paper by Imelde Adjaffon, Gera Voorrips, published by Triple Jump, April 2018, 5 pages, available at:
https://triplejump.eu/wp-content/uploads/2018/05/How-Microfinance-is-Navigating-the-Fintech-Revolution-in-Africa-1.pdf

In July 2017, Triple Jump surveyed 17 microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Africa with the goal of learning more about “how MFIs view Fintech [financial technology], its potential uses, the drivers, challenges

MICROFINANCE EVENT: 2018 Customer Centricity Learning Event; February 19 – 22, 2018; Mamallapuram, India

Event Name: 2018 Customer Centricity Learning Event

Event Date: February 19 – 22, 2018

Application deadline: January 19, 2018

Event Location: Mamallapuram, India

Summary of Event: This event is intended to improve the ways financial services providers work with low-income customers. The conference includes training exercises and networking events designed to improve social

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: LOLC Micro Credit, VisionFund, Kredit Microfinance Institution, Agence Francaise de Developpement Finance Home Solar Panel Purchases in Cambodia

LOLC Micro Credit, the microfinance arm of Sri Lanka’s Lanka Orix Leasing Company (LOLC); VisionFund International, a microfinance investor owned by US-based Christian nonprofit World Vision; and Kredit Microfinance Institution, a microfinance institution (MFI) in Cambodia, have agreed to partner on a program run by Agence Francaise de Developpement, the international development arm of the French government, to provide loans for purchases of home solar panels in Cambodia.

MICROFINANCE PUBLICATION ROUND-UP: Mobile Finance Implementation; Alternative Delivery Channels and Technology; “Market Insights for Innovations and Design” (MI4ID) Behavioral Research

“Expanding Access to Finance Through Mobile Payments;” published by the Foundation for International Community Assistance (FINCA) International and The MasterCard Foundation; June 2015; 12 pages; available at http://www.finca.org/files/2015/06/FINCA-MasterCard-Case-study-2015.pdf

This case study offers suggestions for microfinance institutions (MFIs) implementing mobile technology.

MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: “The Next Stage of Financial Inclusion;” by Dean Karlan; Published by Stanford Social Innovation Review

“The Next Stage of Financial Inclusion;” by D. Karlan; published by the Stanford Social Innovation Review; fall 2014; 9 pages; available at: http://www.ssireview.org/pdf/Fall_2014_The_Next_Stage_of_Financial_Inclusion_1.pdf

This paper investigates the evolving role of nonprofit organizations in providing microcredit to people with low incomes.

MICROCAPITAL PUBLICATION ROUND-UP: Microcredit Summit Campaign Report; responsAbility Financial, Social Impact Assessment; Microinsurance Education in Zambia

“Resilience: The State of the Microcredit Summit Campaign Report, 2014;” published by RESULTS Educational Fund; 2014; 68 pages; available in web format at http://stateofthecampaign.org/2014-report-executive-summary/or for purchase as a PDF or in print form at http://www.scribd.com/doc/229959504/Resilience-The-State-of-the-Microcredit-Summit-Campaign-Report-2014

This report examines the reach and effectiveness of microfinance institutions (MFIs) on a global scale using data as recent as from 2012.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Central Bank of Kenya May Give Microfinance Institutions Access to Credit Reference Bureau

The Kenya Bankers Association (KBA), which promotes the interests of its 43 member banks, and the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) are reportedly working on possible regulation changes that would allow microfinance institutions (MFIs) to access customer data at the country’s Credit Reference Bureau.