Microfinance, Innovations, Sustainable Development - CGAP

Afganistan: Microfinance faces hurdles in empowering women

Gerard — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 08:42:42 GMT

More than 1.5mn loans worth $831mn have been given out in the past seven years, said the Microfinance Investment Support Facility for Afghanistan (MISFA), which was set up by the government in 2003 to coordinate the sector. Thirty years of conflict have shattered Afghanistan’s economy and infrastructure, leaving two-thirds of the roughly 30mn population illiterate and at least a third in dire poverty.

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Muhammad Yunus: Microfinance Guru under Pressure

Gerard — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 20:29:39 GMT

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus is under pressure after critics accused him of misusing development aid. The father of microfinance told SPIEGEL ONLINE the allegations are "a total fabrication."

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For the unbanked, is mobile money cheap enough?

Gerard — Sun, 07 Nov 2010 08:53:33 GMT

Claudia McKay and Mark Pickens from CGAP have pulled together a comprehensive global pricing study on banking services targeting poor, unbanked and underbanked people in Africa, Asia and Brazil. The study examines pricing for services targeting unbanked and underbanked poor people in 10 countries. The conclusion: mobile banking and other forms of branchless banking are cheaper than traditional banking, but the gap between the two may not be as wide as some may think.

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Opportunity International: Giving the Poor a Working Chance

Gerard — Wed, 03 Nov 2010 16:49:10 GMT

Opportunity co-founder and former president of Bristol Myers International Corporation, the late Al Whittaker, encountered poverty as he travelled throughout the world in the 1960’s and 70’s. He asked the people he met: “What do you need?” They replied: "Work. With jobs, we will solve our own problems."

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Probanx - Core Banking Software - Microfinance Software

Gerard — Tue, 02 Nov 2010 22:56:44 GMT

Probanx Information Systems specializes in development of software for the financial institutions, offering multi-currency and multi-lingual banking systems with a large variety of modules, based on the latest technologies. We install and support turn-key international Banking Software and Microfinance Software solutions for retail banks, commercial banks, Internet banks and microfinance banks.

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Branchless Banking 2010: Is the hype justified?

Gerard — Sat, 30 Oct 2010 17:23:23 GMT

After several years of very high profile attention on mobile money and other branchless banking schemes, we think it’s time to test the hype. Or more accurately, we’ve wanted to for awhile. But acquiring good data is really, really hard. We’ve been unable to say in anything but a fragmented, mostly anecdotal way whether the unbanked really use branchless banking, what they use it for, if it saves them any money, and what more they might want (but aren’t getting yet). Just because we are excited about branchless banking doesn’t mean it is living up to the promises we make on its behalf.

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CGAP: Mobile Banking is Reaching Millions of Economically Excluded in Poor Countries

Gerard — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 17:17:10 GMT

A significant number of people using new technologies such as mobile phones to access financial services in developing countries are completely new clients for the financial services industry, according to new research by CGAP. The growing interest of so-called branchless banking in recent years has, until now, largely lacked data showing whether it delivers on potential to bring the poor into the formal economy.

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The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD)

Gerard — Fri, 22 Oct 2010 07:27:56 GMT

The International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) at Colorado State University provides innovative training in community-based development (online and face-to-face), consultation, evaluation, and project support services for individuals and governmental, international non-governmental, and community-based organizations around the world.

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CGAP: Microfinance assets dip in 2009, slower growth ahead

Gerard — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 17:09:28 GMT

The asset growth of microfinance investment intermediaries (MIIs) fell to 21 per cent at estimated $8.2 billion in 2009 from 31 per cent growth in 2008, hurt by the global financial crisis. The growth is expected to slow down further to 15 per cent in 2010.

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Rural Finance Learning Centre

Gerard — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 08:33:45 GMT

Rural Finance is about providing financial services for people living in rural areas. This Learning Centre aims to assist organisations in developing countries to build their capacity to deliver improved financial services which meet the needs of rural households and businesses.

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Oikocredit wins award for development microfinance

Gerard — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 18:40:08 GMT

Oikocredit, the innovative development financing organisation, has been given an award in recognition of its contribution to socially responsible investing. The award has been made by The Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP).

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United Nations Development Programme Indicates 21% of Nigerian Adults Access Financial Services, Provides Support for Microfinance to Central Bank of Nigeria

Gerard — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 18:57:26 GMT

According to a recent study by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the development arm of the United Nations, a humanitarian organization promoting peace and better living standards, 21 percent of the Nigerian adult population – 18 million people – have access to financial services, with women and youth least likely to have access.Limitations of the Nigerian microfinance industry are attributed to lack of capacity, inadequate coordination, policy shortfalls and a lack of strategy regarding stakeholders’ roles and responsibilities.

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What Green Businesses Should Know About Microfinance

Gerard — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 12:52:36 GMT

With global markets still recovering from the 2008 financial crisis and the reputation of many traditional financial instruments tarnished, investments in microfinance institutions (MFIs) have emerged as a promising option. The basic business model of microfinance focuses on creating sustainable long-term economic value for all stakeholders. Leading MFIs are characterized by high portfolio quality and strong profitability and operate in a market with many still-to-be-realized opportunities.

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CGAP CEO to head overseas Private Investment Corporation OPIC

Gerard — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 19:50:11 GMT

The Senate has confirmed the appointment of former CGAP CEO Elizabeth Littlefield to head the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC).

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CGAP elects Indian as Executive Committee Chairman

Gerard — Tue, 22 Jun 2010 17:41:39 GMT

The global micro finance body set up by World Bank has elected India's Vijay Mahajan as Chairman of its Executive Committee.

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Microfinance emerges beyond conventional markets

Gerard — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 18:30:00 GMT

Offbeat financal avenues find buyers slowly but steadily. With the global meltdown behind, European debt crisis ahead, global economists are busy pondering new sectors like microfinance, carbon finance, water credit and so on to find hope for market expansion.

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Enhancing Financial Inclusiveness: CGAP, Deutsche Bank, Grameen-Jameel and Islamic Development Bank Partner to Launch 'Islamic Microfinance Challenge 2010'

Gerard — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 17:36:15 GMT

CGAP, Deutsche Bank, Grameen-Jameel and Islamic Development Bank have joined forces to challenge the Islamic microfinance industry to develop new ideas for business models.

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Boost for Mobile Banking for the Unbanked

Gerard — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 18:10:16 GMT

CGAP, an independent microfinance center based at the World Bank, today announced a new partnership with the UK Department for International Development (DFID) to expand ongoing global efforts to use information and communication technologies (ICT), especially mobile phones, to increase access to basic financial services for the poor. In addition to a 2006 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and CGAP funding, DFID will provide GBP 8 million to the CGAP Technology Program.

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Probanx - CorePlus Banking Software - Microfinance Software

Gerard — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 20:19:21 GMT

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Women’s World Banking, Ghana wins award

Gerard — Thu, 28 May 2009 02:05:35 GMT

Women’s World Banking, Ghana, (IWWBG) arguably the most innova¬tive microfinance institution in Ghana has won an award at the recent Women's World Banking Global Network and Capital Markets meeting held in New York.

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Microfinance Services Powered by Mobile-Finance Technology

Gerard — Sat, 02 May 2009 15:12:51 GMT

New research reveals that mobile financial services offer some of the best commissions in the world — threatening to knock toothpaste from its lofty perch as the most lucrative product for profit hungry merchants. CGAP, a global microfinance centre, has listed M-Pesa as the world’s biggest mobile banking success.

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Microfinance comes under the microscope

Gerard — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 14:48:23 GMT

Parminder Bahra, Times' correspondent finds doubts raised about the effectiveness of one of the big ideas in the fight against poverty.

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New Moneylenders: Are the Poor Being Exploited by High Microcredit Interest Rates?

Gerard — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 18:34:41 GMT

In today’s microfinance industry, there is still some debate about whether and when long-term subsidies might be justified in order to reach particularly challenging groups of clients. But there is now widespread agreement, within the industry at least, that in most situations MFIs ought to pursue financial sustainability by being as efficient as they can and by charging interest rates and fees high enough to cover the costs of their lending and other services...

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Microfinance Institutions Begin to Incorporate Climate Change in Sustainable Development Strategies

Gerard — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 18:19:44 GMT

Report from CGAP finds that MFIs are well-positioned to contribute to energy efficiency in developing countries, but recommends shift in priorities from loans to financial services that include savings.

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Viewing access to finance as a basic need, like water and electricity. Can it be provided thru Microfinance?

Gerard — Mon, 13 Apr 2009 17:58:55 GMT

Many of the world’s life-changing conveniences wouldn’t be possible without utilities. Utilities provide water for drinking, cooking, and washing; and electricity to power everything from light bulbs to vacuum cleaners. But there is another service whose convenience also transforms lives by enabling economic livelihoods and supporting social relationships, but that does not enjoy the benefit of a utility’s delivery infrastructure: electronic cash payments. The notion of the payments utility may be a rather utopian view of how retail payments in developing countries could enable universal access to finance. Despite the attention, and even hype, that branchless banking has been getting in industry circles and in the media, there are still fundamental challenges – like understanding what drives customers, making the economics work for agents, providing accounts for all, and building workable business models. But it’s never too soon to start thinking big.

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CGAP and WIZZIT Partner on Mobile Banking for Poor People in Rural South Africa

Gerard — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 18:50:44 GMT

CGAP, a microfinance group based at the World Bank, is supporting WIZZIT Bank to deliver banking services to poor people in South Africa's small towns and rural areas. WIZZIT is a division of the South African Bank of Athens Limited.

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From Crisis to Catharsis: How Microfinance Can Make it Through the Global Recession

Gerard — Wed, 01 Apr 2009 21:55:07 GMT

Since the advent of the global economic downturn in mid-2007, there has been much discussion regarding what impact, if any, the financial crisis will have on the microfinance sector. Yana Watson of Dalberg Global Development Advisors provides a diagnosis of different impacts on MFIs depending on their capital structure and geography. She contends that while the impact of the crisis can be anticipated, its outcome is not a foregone conclusion. For microfinance to survive and thrive, she shares recommendations for action on the part of microfinance network and institution leaders, as well as public and private investors.

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Microfinance Leaders Join International Steering Committee of the Campaign for Client Protection in Microfinance

Gerard — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 23:30:42 GMT

In the face of major client protection failures in the mainstream financial sector, leaders of the microfinance industry came together this month seeking means to ensure that microfinance providers worldwide remain committed to serving their clients' best interests.

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The Dangers of Leverage in Credit

Gerard — Wed, 18 Mar 2009 18:56:44 GMT

Credit, according to Professor Muhammad Yunus, is a fundamental human right. However, if not handled with care, the magnification effect inherent in leverage can make it dangerous. One need only look at the current economic spiral to see the result of the provision of credit gone dangerously awry. Credit must be deployed to microfinance borrowers judiciously in order to minimize the risk of non-repayment, as this would cause lenders, themselves levered, to suffer magnified losses. Vinay Nair, an Executive Director at J.P. Morgan currently on sabbatical, explains that it is imperative to avoid over-leverage to avoid losing control.

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A star is born...

Gerard — Sun, 01 Feb 2009 23:56:40 GMT

Welcome to this blog about Microfinance, Innovations and Sustainable Development

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