This paper explores model practices in financial inclusion for women through the work of the winner and nine semi-finalists for the European Microfinance Award 2022. Mr Mendelson sorts the lessons learned into three approaches to how financial services providers (FSP) can foster women’s financial inclusion: offering
Tag: Trends/Challenges
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: AfDB, IFAD Launch M1-200 to Support Agricultural SMEs in Africa
The multilateral African Development Bank (AfDB) and the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) recently announced an initiative to scale up food production in Africa. The program
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: World Bank’s IDA Lending $15m to Djibouti for Low-income Housing Finance, Policy Reform
The International Development Association (IDA), a unit of the World Bank, recently agreed to lend USD 15 million to Djibouti for a project intended to: (1) scale up an existing partial guarantee fund to boost
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Publish What You Fund Releases DFI Transparency Index Ranking Disclosure Record of 30 Development Finance Institutions
Publish What You Fund, a UK-based NGO aimed at increasing the transparency of international development efforts, today launched its DFI Transparency Index, which examines and ranks the operational transparency of 30 development finance institutions (DFIs). The rankings are based on
MICROFINANCE EVENT: SOCAP23; October 23-25, 2023; San Francisco, California, USA
This event will focus on increasing the reach of “investable and profitable businesses” that contribute to solving global issues. Through February 17, those who operate such entities
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: DEG Loans Husk Power $750k for Solar Microgrids in Nigeria, India
The German development finance institution Deutsche Investitions-und Entwicklungsgesellschaft (DEG) recently lent USD 750,000 to Husk Power Systems, an India-based supplier of small-scale electricity generation and distribution networks, to construct
MICROFINANCE EVENT: FinovateSpring; May 23-25, 2023; San Francisco, California, USA
This event focuses on financial technology (fintech), with 60 demos on the agenda as well as sessions such as: (1) Why Reimagining
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: African Fintech Nala Expands Remittance Service to EU, Launches Business Platform
Nala, a payments company launched in Tanzania in 2018, recently added 19 EU nations to the range of markets from which its users may send money transfers. The app targets
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: China Mobile’s Zong Unveils PayMax Payment Service in Pakistan
China Mobile, a China-based telecommunications company, recently launched a digital payments product called PayMax via its subsidiary China Mobile Pakistan (CMPAK), which trades under the brand name Zong. Zong is targeting
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Arab Savings & Financial Literacy Conference; October 9-11, 2023; Cairo, Egypt – NEW DATES
This event, which originally was set to begin on May 7, 2023, will focus on the importance of financial literacy and long-term savings in improving household financial stability. It offers in-person and remote access to sessions such as: (1) Reconciling the
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: B2B Fintech Clowd9 Chooses Netcetera for Payments Security
Clowd9, a UK-based payment processing platform, recently hired the Switzerland-based software company Netcetera to augment its digital payment security. Clowd9 connects
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: FMO, Proparco Lend $125m to NMB for MSME, Agriculture, Green Financing in Tanzania
The Dutch development bank Financierings-Maatschappij voor Ontwikkelingslanden (FMO) recently led a senior loan package of USD 125 million in favor of Tanzania’s National Microfinance Bank (NMB). NMB is a commercial bank offering
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Livelihoods India Summit; January 19-20, 2023; New Delhi, India
The 13th edition of this event will address how to increase the resilience of low-income people’s livelihoods. The sessions are to cover topics such as: (1) inclusive value chains; (2) the impact of climate change on livelihoods; (3) methods for
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: MicroVest Loans $4.2m to RoCredit for SME Financing in Romania
US-based asset manager MicroVest recently reported lending EUR 4 million (USD 4.25 million) to RoCredit, a nonbank financial institution serving small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Romania. Established in 2007 and
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: EBRD Loans KICB $7m for MSME Financing in Kyrgyzstan
The multilateral European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) recently lent the local-currency equivalent of USD 7 million to Kyrgyz Investment and Credit Bank (KICB) to finance micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Kyrgyzstan. The loan is part of
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Sustainability Week; March 29-31, 2023; London, United Kingdom
This eighth annual Sustainability Week is intended to help businesses, policymakers, investors and NGOs achieve their sustainability goals more quickly. The event offers
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Opportunity Collaboration: OC2023; October 15-19, 2023; Miches, Dominican Republic
The purpose of this event is to enable attendees to collaborate on solutions to global poverty and injustice. The agenda is primarily attendee-led, with an “unconference” style. For example, Affinity Circles allow attendees to meet informally in groups based on their region, role or goal of interest.
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Cracking the Nut: Reducing Risk in Rural and Agricultural Investment; June 12-13, 2023; Washington, DC, USA
This tenth iteration of “Cracking the Nut” will explore opportunities to finance agricultural supply chains to meet the needs of people working in the informal agriculture segment in low- and middle-income countries. The conference will focus on reducing the risk of investing in agricultural and