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As a proud co-organiser of the EUR 100,000 European Microfinance Award (EMA), e-MFP leverages European Microfinance Week to spot-light the theme of the Award each year. With EMA 2019 focused on Strengthening Resilience to Climate Change, the many ways that financial inclusion stakeholders are helping vulnerable populations adapt to climate change are at the forefront of the European Microfinance Week programme. If your work involves addressing climate change through financial inclusion, #EMW2019 is not to be missed!
Montpellier Business School, the French National Research Institute for Development (IRD) and the University Paris Dauphine, in cooperation with e-MFP and CERMI, organised the 6th European Research Conference on Microfinance from 3rd to 5th June 2019 in Paris
BlueOrchard has released a new study on climate finance. The study, compiled in cooperation with the FINEXUS Center for Financial Networks and Sustainability of the University of Zurich, discusses climate-related risks and their impact, especially on less-developed countries as well as potential economic losses in the financial system.
Our Autumn 2019 Newsletter is now out with: The three finalists of the €100,000 European Microfinance Award; our special supplement
Launched in 2013 by the Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation and the Agence Française de Développement (AFD), the "Take-off Facility for agricultural and rural microfinance in Africa" (African Facility) aims to support microfinance institutions in sub-Saharan Africa. After a successful first phase (2013-2016), with 16 funded partners and € 6 million in disbursed loans, the second phase of the program will support 25 rural microfinance institutions.
In anticipation of European Microfinance Week, happening 20-22 November, our media partner MicroCapital caught up with e-MFP Chairwoman Laura Hemrika of Credit Suisse to see why EMW is the must-attend event of the financial inclusion sector this Autumn.
As technology transforms the world, microfinance institutions grapple with fundamental questions on how to adapt, what strategies to pursue, and how to best equip themselves to successfully digitize. FinDev Gateway explores all these aspects of digital transformation in a series of three webinars.
On the 19th of September, the Selection Committee for the European Microfinance Award 2019 "Strengthening Resilience to Climate Change" chose the three finalists who will go on to compete for the €100,000 prize: APA, ASKI, and FDL. Through the initiatives these outstanding organisations have put in place to increase vulnerable populations' resilience to climate change, they demonstrate the innovation and dynamism of this most critical area of financial inclusion.
e-MFP is a proud partner and contributor of the 2019 Microfinance Barometer which to mark its 10th anniversary, looks back on the evolution of financial inclusion around the world. Read e-MFP's article "(Micro)finance for Resilience: Helping Clients Adapt to Climate Change" on page 14!
Registration for #EMW2019 is now open - don't miss your opportunity to engage with 500 top industry professionals, hear presentations on the latest developments in the financial inclusion sector, and attend the ceremony for the European Microfinance Award!
On 6 September 2019 the Ministry of Finance of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg signed a letter of understanding (LOU) with the Alliance for Financial Inclusion (AFI) to launch a new multi-donor collaboration framework that will help bolster financial inclusion across the African continent.
The second annual e-MFP survey of financial inclusion trends is now open (and in 3 languages this year!), and the results will be published in the 'Financial Inclusion Compass 2019' in November. We hope you'll take the time to participate, and feel free to either forward to contacts who we should hear from, or promote it on your own platforms.
The first edition of the LuxFLAG Sustainable Investment Week (#LSIW19) organised by LuxFLAG will be held from 22 to 24 October 2019. A wide range of topics such as Climate Finance, ESG, Impact Investing, Sustainable Development Goals will be covered during fifteen standalone events at various locations around Luxembourg.
Women's World Banking will hold the next edition of the 'Making Finance Work for Women' Summit in Singapore on October 22-23, 2019, at the Pan Pacific Hotel.
Join e-MFP at the 12th edition of the Convergences World Forum which will take place on September 5th & 6th at the Palais Brongniart in Paris. More than 5,000 attendees and speakers from the business, solidarity, government, academic and media will gather to share ideas and build solutions around the theme "Inequalities – Transitions - Solutions".
Research on the impact of financial services on the lives of low-income people provides valuable insights. However, these studies tend to focus on microcredit or a single financial product, such as savings or mobile money. As a result, an overly simplistic and product-focused story has emerged. Recognizing the need for a more nuanced and clearer impact narrative, this CGAP Focus Note 'Emerging Evidence on Financial Inclusion' synthesizes evidence since 2014 and highlights three overarching insights
The 5th Edition of the Rural and Agricultural Finance Program (RAFP) in English will be held from 22 July 22 to 2 August 2019 in Turin, Italy and will bring together rural and agricultural finance specialists from around the world representing MFIs, Rural Banks, Central Banks, Ministries of Finance and Agriculture, Donor Agencies, Investors, Development Agencies, and more.
Our Summer 2019 Newsletter is now out with: update on the European Microfinance Award 2019 on 'Strengthening Resilience to Climate Change'; Highlights from our Offsite Session event in London on 'Financial Inclusion through Technology'; A look at the 6th European Research Conference on Microfinance held, 3rd - 5th June, in Paris; Article on a New Code for Consumer Protection in the Off-Grid Sector; Update on the SPI4 Audit Guide and take-aways from LuxFLAG's recent seminar on social investments; a warm welcome to our new members Banca Etica and MSC; plus all the latest news and activities from e-MFP and its members complete the edition.
Join Amarante Consulting and UNCDF, two members of e-MFP for a webinar (English) on "Agency Banking to Reach Customers in Remote Areas" on 05 July 2019 at 13h GMT. The webinar will also happen in French at 14h GMT. This webinar will present the lessons learnt from the implementation of agency banking that was done to financially and economically include the excluded population in Benin by Ecobank. Amarante Consulting will also present the technical and operational prerequisites to implement agency banking in a seamless manner.
Join e-MFP member for a webinar 'What Digital Products and Services Are Microfinance Clients Ready for?' on 9th July at 11:00 CEST which will present the tools that will help understand clients' digital readiness
With large numbers of vulnerable refugees fleeing unrest in their countries and settling in refugee camps, providing economic opportunities is essential for communities to survive. On 18 June at 9.00 (UK time), join Martina Crailsheim, Refugee Microfinance Manager of VisionFund International, as she presents the assessment results and business opportunities in West Nile
e-MFP is delighted to share expertise and insights during two Lab Debates at EDD 2019. Gabriela Erice joins the panel 'Financial Inclusion: A Catalyst for Reducing Inequalities' on June 18th and Daniel Rozas is a panelist on 'A Business Case for Housing Microfinance' session on June 19th. Meet the e-MFP team at EDD 2019!
We're delighted to announce our new publication Digital Pathways in Financial Inclusion, which draws on the technology initiatives of the winners and semi-finalists of the 2018 European Microfinance Award on 'Financial Inclusion through Technology', paving the way for how advances in technology can be adopted by financial services providers who serve the excluded.
The Center for Research on Social Enterprises and Microfinance (CERSEM) at the University of Agder in Norway has launched a new report on the content in the SAVIX database. The database covers 250 thousand groups worldwide. The report shows what savings groups are, how they are structured, how they perform and where they flourish
Check out CGAP's new report on "FinTechs and Financial Inclusion: Looking Past the Hype and Exploring Their Potential", plus a separate set of case studies "FinTechs and Financial Inclusion: Lessons Learned"
The call for papers for Research Meets Africa is open! June 15th is the deadline to submit research articles on the theme: "The impact and contribution of inclusive finance to the Sustainable Development Goals".
16th Consultative Forum on "Climate and disaster risk: building resilience, bridging the protection gap", coorganised by the Microinsurance Network on 12th – 13th June in Johannesburg, South Africa will explore how insurance providers, policymakers, insurance regulators and supervisors can collaborate to reduce the protection gap and help to build resilience in the face of climate risk and natural disasters.
The next e-MFP Offsite Session "Financial Inclusion through Technology: A presentation of the takeaways from the European Microfinance Award 2018", takes place on Thursday 23rd May 2019 in London. The event, jointly held by the Financial Inclusion Forum and e-MFP, and once again generously supported by Allen & Overy, will present the background to the 2018 Award and the emerging best practice in this area including through profiles of the finalists and semifinalists' programs, and also present "Digital Pathways in Financial Inclusion" – the upcoming e-MFP paper summarising the 2018 Award.
Preparations are underway for European Microfinance Week, 20th - 22nd November 2019 and e-MFP is launching a request for proposals from its members for sessions which will take place during this year's prestigious event. Deadline to submit is 27th May 2019.
Our Spring 2019 Newsletter is now out with: update on the European Microfinance Award 2019 on Strengthening Resilience to Climate Change; Details of the upcoming 6th European Research Conference on Microfinance in Paris on 3rd - 5th June; celebration of the 100th anniversary of our member ILO; an article looking at MFIs and their missions based on the study "Do Social Enterprises Walk the Talk? Assessing Microfinance Performances with Mission Statements"; plus all the latest news and activities from e-MFP and its members complete the edition.
The preliminary application round for the European Microfinance Award 2019 on "Strengthening Resilience to Climate Change" has now closed, and we are delighted to announce that 41 organisations from 27 countries have applied.
Register now for the 6th European Research Conference on Microfinance with the theme "New Tools, New Actors: Which aims, values and beneficiaries?" taking place 3rd - 5th June, in Paris. The conference is co-organised by the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Montpellier Business School and Paris Dauphine University in cooperation with CERMi and the European Microfinance Platform.
Join e-MFP's Gabriela Erice García together with Philippe Guichandut of the Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation and Frédéric Mille of Advans International in the upcoming webinar (in French) on 9th April 11-12.30 (Paris time)
BlueOrchard recently published its Impact Report 2019/2020. This year's report gives a comprehen¬sive overview of BlueOrchard's impact measurement and management expertise, explaining how its impact management know-how and tools have evolved over time to become to¬day's inclusive and holistic practice across multiple asset classes and impact themes, firmly aligned with industry best practices.
The €100,000 European Microfinance Award 2019 "Strengthening Resilience to Climate Change" is open to all organisations active in the financial inclusion sector that provide products and services to help vulnerable communities become more resilient to the effects of climate change. Deadline is 9th April.
The Platform for Agricultural Risk Management (PARM), a G7-G20 Initiative, hosted by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the New Partnership for Africa's Development (NEPAD) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) are launching a series of e-learning courses on Agricultural Risk Management on Thursday 4th of April 2019 in FAO headquarters,
See in our video why applying for the European Microfinance Award is a such good idea. This prestigious annual award with €100,000 for the winner and €10,000 for the two runners-up attracts applications from organisations active in financial service around the world that are innovating in a particular area of financial inclusion.
The Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation (GCAF) together with the European Investment Bank (EIB) are organising a conference on April 1st in Paris
Missed EMW 2018? Catch up now with our conference report which gives extensive coverage of all the sessions
FinDev's webinar takes place March 12th in which CGAP's Gerhard Coetzee will discuss steps that management teams can take when shifting to a more customer-centric model
Technology has vast potential to improve lives, and financial inclusion is no exception. Yet with half a million digital borrowers blacklisted on Transunion Credit Reference Bureau in Kenya – many for defaulting on loans of just a few dollars – it's clear that digital finance also has its downsides.
Check out the programme for e-MFP member MFC's Annual Conference in Istanbul 29-31, May 2019 - registration is now open
NpM, Platform for Inclusive Finance and FMO will hold a webinar discussion on 'Technological Innovations to Enable Farmer Finance' on Tuesday, 19 February, at 10:30 AM CET
Join FinDev and Mix on 14th February for a webinar which aims to provide clarity into inclusive fintech and, specifically, how to determine what makes a fintech "inclusive
Extended abstracts or full papers (if available) submission deadline is 15th of February 2019.
Mark your calendar and join us for European Microfinance Week in Luxembourg, 20th - 22nd November.
Participate in the first Microvision training, 18 - 22 March! Microfact is a joint initiative of e-MFP members ADA and BRS to strengthen the financial and social performance capacities of microfinance and microinsurance institutions. To do this, Microfact offers a set of tools and will soon launch its new Microvision tool, which will allow MFIs to develop five-year financial projections.
Read how the winner and finalists of the European Microfinance Award 2018 on Financial Inclusion through Technology have creatively used technology to improve the quality and efficiency of their services. This new brochure presents the background on the Award, outlines the selection process, the Award ceremony and showcases the Award winner (Advans Côte d'Ivoire, Ivory Coast) and the two finalists (ESAF Small Finance Bank, India and KMF, Kazakhstan).
Our Winter 2018/2019 Newsletter is now out with: some of the EMW highlights and the European Microfinance Award ceremony; Spotlight on Advans Côte d'Ivoire, winner of the 2018 Award; an article on blended finance by BlueOrchard; update on 10 years of Grameen Credit Agricole Foundation, a look at the upcoming European Research Conference on Microfinance in June 2019, plus all the latest news, publications and activities from e-MFP and its members complete the edition.
NpM, Platform for Inclusive Finance (NpM), commissioned a study on suitable agri-finance products for female farmers in Vietnam as part of a broader study on the promotion of women entrepreneurship in agriculture through access to finance. This paper presents the results of the study aimed to analyse if and how women encounter constraints to effectively access financial services in agriculture and if they benefit effectively from accompanying non-financial services.
Registrations for the March 2019 intake of the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management development finance certification courses are open. New courses on Digital Finance, Agricultural Finance, Sustainable Finance and Blockchain!
At this year's European Microfinance Week, Faisal Abdul Wahab participated in the panel called "Fintegration: Innovation Meets Legacy Systems." FinDev Gateway caught up with him afterwards to learn more about fintegration and how his company helps MFIs on their path to digitization.
Advans Côte d'Ivoire has won this year's European Microfinance Award, focused on "Financial Inclusion through Technology," for its innovative digital savings and credit solution for cocoa farmers. Albert Sie Dah, Farm Operations Manager, sat down with FinDev to share more about their work.
Through its Rural Finance Partnership technical assistance program, Incofin IM is supporting two local microfinance institutions (MFIs) – Fundenuse and Micrédito – to implement the first ever meso-model agricultural index insurance product in Nicaragua.
Being present online is a must for microfinance institutions nowadays. However, a big question is how to do it effectively, so that the institution is visible to the customers they want to attract. This webinar organised by MFC, will present the ways MFIs can improve their visibility and positioning in the digital space in a cost effective way taking into account preferences of their clients and the digital capacity of MFI staff.
The European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP) is looking for a consultant to support the European Microfinance Award 2019 on climate change resilience, which is intended to highlight how the financial inclusion sector can help vulnerable populations adapt to climate change threats.
The European Microfinance Platform (eMFP) is looking for an Administrative Assistant to join its dynamic team in Luxembourg
Thanks to the more than 450 participants from 69 countries who gathered at EMW 2018! See what made it special in our photo galleries.
Relive the European Microfinance Week plenary sessions on 'Financial Inclusion through Technology', 'Where next for microfinance: a view from The Founders' and 'Is there room left for the 'little guy'?: a debate on the relevance of Tier 2 & 3 MFIs' in the videos out now.
The MFC Annual Conference 2019 will be held from 29–31 May 2019 in Istanbul, Turkey
The European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP) has today launched the Financial Inclusion Compass 2018 – its new paper on emerging short, medium and long-term trends in the financial inclusion sector, based on a survey of e-MFP members and key industry stakeholders.
It has been a very busy, productive and rewarding year for the European Microfinance Platform, with new initiatives and innovations on various fronts. We're delighted to share with you in this annual report of activities our many activities and achievements. Read all about our events, partnerships, sector engagement and knowledge exchange. We'd like to thank all the e-MFP members, the e-MFP Board, our sponsors and funders, without all of whom none of this would be possible.
Many thanks to our media partners MicroCapital, FinDev Gateway, Le Portail FinDev, Accion and NextBillion for the excellent coverage of EMW 2018
European Microfinance Week (#EMW2018), organised by the European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP), concluded Friday in Luxembourg, with an 'Oxford-style' plenary debate on the future relevance of Tier 2 & 3 MFIs, with Maria-Teresa Zappia from BlueOrchard Finance, Alex Silva from OMTRIX, Kaspar Wansleben from Luxembourg Microfinance Development Fund, and consultant Maude Massu debating the motion "This House Believes There's No Room Left for the Little Guy".
The €100,000 prize, awarded for the 9th time by the Luxembourg Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, was given this year to Advans Côte d'Ivoire (CI) at a ceremony hosted by the European Investment Bank in Luxembourg.
The European Microfinance Week (#emw2018) conference was formally opened today in Luxembourg, hosted by the European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP). A member-driven conference supported by the Luxembourg government, EMW continues to grow as one of the most important annual events in the financial inclusion sector, bringing together all branches of the industry, including e-MFP's own members, to discuss trends, innovations, challenges and opportunities in inclusive finance in developing countries.
Can't make it to European Microfinance Week? Don't worry – you can watch our plenaries livestream on the e-MFP Facebook page. Mark your calendar and tune in!
Geospatial information technologies are available for smallholder farmers to boost agricultural production, however the link to finance is hardly ever made. In order to increase their yields, smallholder farmers need finance to buy inputs and fertilizers, to invest in storage facilities, among other things. The NpM Innovator's Challenge incentivized technology companies to transform their geodata-based solutions for smallholder farmers and make them available for the financial sector.
e-MFP together with the Social Performance Task Force (SPTF), is delighted to publish a study entitled "Assessment of the Sustainable Performance of SME Finance Service Providers". The study was drafted by Lucia Spaggiari, MFR, in collaboration with the e-MFP Investor Action Group and the Social Performance Task Force (SPTF) Social Investors Working Group and findings will be presented during European Microfinance Week.
Mobility is an important requirement for the economic development of a country, especially for rural regions. In Myanmar, for example, two thirds of all working persons live in the countryside. In order to improve mobility in the country, DEG – Deutsche Investitions- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH, AgRIF – an impact focused fund which provides funding to financial intermediaries targeting smallholder farmers and rural population, managed by Incofin Investment Management and Daiwa PI Partners Co. Ltd. are investing into the firm Rent2Own, which makes motorcycles available in Myanmar. DEG, AgRIF and Daiwa PI Partners are supporting the growth of the company with equity to the amount of up to 9 million US dollars.
The Making Microfinance Investment Responsible (MIR) Action Group has published "The Universal Standards for Social Performance Management – Where do we go from here? " just in time for EMW! The new brief distills lessons from five years of promoting the Universal Standards as a framework for responsible microfinance by drawing on interviews and surveys with financial service providers, SPI4 social auditors, national networks, and investors from around the world.
Crowdfunding is gaining in worldwide popularity. Some crowdfunding platforms specialize in impact investments. Who is crowdfunding for financial inclusion? Who is the crowd of these platforms and what deals do they fund? As part of this year's European Microfinance Week, Marloes Noppen will participate in a panel on crowdfunding, together with representatives from Babyloan, Lendahand, LITA.co and Mekar. FinDev Gateway sat down with her ahead of this event to get a preview of some of the issues which will be discussed.
In the run up to European Microfinance Week, our media partner FinDev Gateway has published a blog from Hannah Seidek on the upcoming panel she is moderating "Go Big by Going Small: Serving the Needs of Smallholder Farmers".
The ADA Chair in Financial Law at the University of Luxembourg, Faculty of Law, Economics and Finance, is organising a conference on inclusive and sustainable financial research in Luxembourg on the eve of the European Microfinance Week, on Tuesday, November 13, 2018. All participants of the European Microfinance Week as well as all audiences interested in inclusive and sustainable finance are invited.
Leading impact investment manager Incofin Investment Management (Incofin IM) is pleased to announce the MXN 188 million (USD 10 million) investment in Financiamiento Progresemos, S.A. de C.V. SOFOM ENR (Progresemos), a leading rural Mexican non-bank financial institution serving micro and small entrepreneurs.
With the publication of the 2017 Global Findex database, we now have 9 years' of trend data on financial inclusion. What have been the largest gains? What are the persistent gaps? Where should stakeholders working in financial inclusion focus their energies going forward? Join us in Paris on 29th October for this session co-organised by the European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP) and BNP Paribas.
The Microfinance Centre (MFC) and the European Microfinance Network (EMN) organised their joint Annual Conference, in partnership with Seed Capital Bizkaia Micro, from 3-5 October 2018 in Bilbao, Spain. Focused on the implications of the digital revolution on financial and social inclusion, the event gathered about 650 participants – including representatives from European institutions, investors, microfinance institutions, NGOs and fintech experts – from 44 countries (East and West Europe, Central Asia, the Caucasus and beyond).
We are pleased to announce that the 6th European Research Conference on Microfinance will take place on June 3-5, 2019 at the Paris Dauphine University, France. This event is co-organised by the Institut de Recherche pour le Développement, Montpellier Business School and Paris Dauphine University in cooperation with the European Microfinance Platform.
Our Autumn 2018 Newsletter is now out with: The three finalists of the €100,000 European Microfinance Award; Spotlight on e-MFP members and Financial Inclusion through Technology; Update on European Microfinance Week 2018; News from the Secretariat; articles on FinTech for Financial Inclusion: A framework for Digital Financial Transformation and Finance for Refugees: How do make it work plus all the latest news and activities from e-MFP and its members complete the edition.
Registration is open for European Microfinance Week taking place 14th - 16th November, in Luxembourg. Every year e-MFP's top event gathers close to 500 professionals from all over the globe and offers excellent networking opportunities and the chance to learn from your peers.
On the 20th of September, the Selection Committee for the European Microfinance Award 2018 on "Financial Inclusion through Technology" chose the three finalists who will go on to compete for the €100,000 prize: Advans Côte d'Ivoire, ESAF Small Finance Bank of India, and KMF of Kazakhstan.
The Funder Survey, which is driven by the participation of several funders, has become a reference for transparency and accountability. As CGAP marks the 10th anniversary of this initiative, the team would like to hear your thoughts on how the insights available from the Funder Survey can be improved.
'Finance for Refugees: The State of Play' provides an overview of the global potential market scope of refugees as well as a review of the sector's progress in the past few years. Remaining barriers are briefly described, including policy clarity, relevant information, legal barriers and funding.
Building on the successful event celebrating Luxembourg's Impact Ecosystem last summer, the Luxembourg Microfinance and Development Fund (LMDF) in partnership with the Ville de Luxembourg (VdL) will once again turn the spotlight on where business/finance converges with social/environmental.
Shareholders in AMK, one of Cambodia's largest deposit-taking microfinance institutions, have confirmed the sale of 80.01% of the Company's shares to SCSB. Current shareholders, Rural Impulse Fund II, Proparco, and the Cambodian Laos Development Fund (CLDF) have exited their shareholdings completely, while current majority shareholder, Agora Microfinance has divested part of its shareholding.
The 2018 Microfinance Barometer will be released on 3rd September. Entitled 'Microfinance and Profitabilites', this 9th edition presents the key figures of the sector and explores the topic of profitability in its multiple aspects.
Join e-MFP at the 11th edition of the Convergences World Forum taking place on September 3rd & 4th at the Palais Brongniart in Paris. More than 5,000 attendees and speakers from the business, solidarity, government, academic and media will gather to share ideas and build solutions around the theme "Make Society, Make Tomorrow". See us at the launch of the 2018 Microfinance Barometer.
Digital financial services (DFS) are spearheading greater financial inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa, with 338 million registered accounts in 2017 and a significant boost in penetration from 12 percent to 21 percent between 2014 and 2017.
"Finance for All: Wedded to Fintech for Better or Worse", examines risks (or banana skins) in the provision of financial services to people in emerging markets who have little or no access to these services. Based on a survey of over 300 practitioners and close observers of the industry in 70 countries, the report finds that new technology is delivering considerable benefits to the financial inclusion market – but is also creating new risks that service providers need to manage if they are to succeed.
VisionFund International has released its Annual Report for the financial year ending 30 September 2017 registering strong growth and impact. With a gross loan portfolio of $601 million, representing growth of 18% year on year, VisionFund's micro loans, financial services, expert advice and training helped more than 1.2 million entrepreneurial clients grow or improve their fledgling businesses to provide their families with nutritious food, health care, education and improved shelter. During 2017, more than 4.4 million children were positively impacted through this work.
The "Finance for Refugees; making it work" conference will take place 7th September in The Hague and brings together the donor and the investor community and provides them a platform to discuss this critical issue and work towards sustainable solutions for refugees.
The European Microfinance Network (EMN) is seeking to recruit one (1) consultant to coordinate and carry out research activities in the framework of a project on the financial health of micro-entrepreneurs. Deadline Monday 20 August 2018.
RIM and PRMIA announce the RIM Institution Assessment Training for Independent Assessors taking place Sept. 26 – 28 in Luxembourg. This is an in-depth, 3-day training program designed for risk management experts, consultants, and consulting firms serving the microfinance industry.
Once again, Frankfurt School is offering development finance online courses starting on September 1st. Choose one of the 11 Certified Expert courses on Microfinance, Risk Management, Climate & Renewable Energy Finance, including two new courses on Digital Finance and Agricultural Finance.
VisionFund is looking for an experienced insurance professional who has the drive to build a business and a heart to serve the poor.
The Microfinance Centre (MFC) and the European Microfinance Network (EMN) are organising a joint annual conference "People and the Digital Revolution: Advancing Our Social Mission through Technology", on 3-5 October in Bilbao, Spain.
ILO's Impact Insurance Academy, 10th – 14th September 2018 in Turin, Italy is a unique opportunity to learn from the ten years of experience and innovations in inclusive insurance facilitated by the ILO's Impact Insurance Facility
Social impact investor Oikocredit continues to surpass the sector average for outreach to female microfinance clients, according to indicators published today in Oikocredit's Social and Environmental Performance Report 2017. In 2017 almost 90% of clients reached by the microfinance organisations in which Oikocredit invests are women. This compares to an average of 70% for the sector as reported in the latest Symbiotics MIV Survey, which presents sector data for 2016.
Today, e-MFP is pleased to have launched its inaugural Survey of Financial Inclusion Trends, giving e-MFP members, opinion leaders and sector stakeholders the chance to score and comment on the importance and direction of particular financial inclusion trends, as well as to express any opinions on what they think - or hope - will be the future of the sector.
Our Summer 2018 Newsletter is now out with: Update on the call for applications for the €100,000 European Microfinance Award on Financial Inclusion Through Technology; Past Awards revisited; Offsite Session - our joint event with the Financial Inclusion Forum UK; Preparations for the European Microfinance Week 2018; What Role can Microfinance Play in Increasing Access to Affordable Clean Energy?; Focus on the Responsible Inclusive Finance Faciilty in Southeast Asia (RIFF-SEA); 100 Smart Certifications - a Milestone for Responsible Inclusive Finance; a look at the new study 'Critical Capital for African Agri-food SMEs'
The Professional Risk Managers' International Association (PRMIA) and The Risk Management Initiative in Microfinance (RIM) today announce their merger to meet the growing needs of the risk management community and elevate their mission to set standards and serve the risk management profession.
This report examines how new types of data and new data tools offer an unprecedented opportunity for financial service providers to better understand and serve clients, especially credit-seeking "thin-file" clients who are otherwise excluded from the formal financial sector
ILO's Impact Insurance Academy, 10th – 14th September 2018 in Turin Italy is a unique opportunity to learn from the ten years of experience and innovations in inclusive insurance facilitated by the ILO's Impact Insurance Facility.
The Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) today published the eighth edition of its Annual Impact Investor Survey, the most comprehensive collection and assessment of data on the global impact investing market. Respondents collectively manage over USD 228 billion in impact investing assets, a figure which serves as the latest best-available 'floor' for the size of the impact investing market.
When it comes to microfinance, people may automatically think of loans going towards businesses, yet, microfinance can also be used to support housing. Globally, people at the bottom spend around US $700 billion on housing. Lending in this sector is a relatively new area, starting out five years ago, and currently over 20 percent of micro-loans are used on housing. Although there has been an increase in demand for loans in this sector, it remains a niche.
The application period for the European Microfinance Award 2018 on Financial Inclusion through Technology has now closed. Thank you to the 27 institutions from 22 countries, representing nearly every geographical region, who have applied.
Preparations are underway for European Microfinance Week, 14th - 16th November 2018 and e-MFP is launching a request for proposals from its members for sessions which will take place during this year's prestigious event.
With €49.3 million granted in 2017, the Foundation expanded its activities to 32 countries. It supported 69 microfinance institutions and social businesses who accompany 3.2 million clients, of which 77% are women and 75% live in rural areas.
The next SPTF Social Investor Working Group meeting will take place in Luxembourg on June 18-19, 2018 and will be hosted by the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs (MAEE) in partnership with the Inclusive Finance Network Luxembourg (InFiNe.lu). This meeting is open to investors only.
A report that provides a framework to microfinance investors seeking a responsible exit reveals that financial offers have a greater influence on decisions than social goals.Entitled Caveat Venditor: Towards a Conceptual Framework for Buyer Selection in Responsible Microfinance Exits, the report, written by microfinance experts Sam Mendelson and Daniel Rozas, shows only a minority of investors hold the congruence of a buyer's offer with a seller's social mission as crucial to deciding whether or when to exit a project
In 2017 ILO intensified its engagement with policy-makers and financial institutions - banks and credit unions, insurance companies and investment funds - to contribute to decent work through sustainable and equitable economic growth.
The 44th Midi de la Microfinance becomes the Midi de la Microassurance (Microinsurance) with international experts invited to discuss the innovations in Nicaragua and the Philippines regarding the development of these essential services to protect the microfinance clients
Join this webinar to hear from experts at FSD Africa, Kenya Commercial Bank and CGAP's Gateway Academy on how to strengthen the value proposition of digital learning sector-wide.
MicroCapital: Each year, the European Microfinance Award covers a different theme. Why technology and why now?
Christoph Pausch: We are at a fascinating time in the evolution of financial inclusion. A whole new range of technology-enabled solutions has the potential to reduce costs, improve efficiencies, facilitate communication and remove artificial borders for people who have been excluded from the formal economy. These solutions include credit, insurance, savings, payments and transfer services. As a strengthening alternative to cash, mobile money can have special benefits for women, rural communities and the very poor. Among the Award applicants, we hope and expect to see a real diversity of financial services providers beyond traditional MFIs, such as mobile network operators and money transfer organisations.
"Caveat Venditor: Towards a Conceptual Framework for Buyer Selection in Responsible Microfinance Exits" - new research commissioned by NpM, in partnership with the e-MFP Investor Action Group and the Financial Inclusion Equity Council (FIEC). This new paper written by Sam Mendelson and Daniel Rozas goes beyond raising questions, and seeks to provide a template to help investors navigate the complex terrain of "responsible exits."
See why applying for the European Microfinance Award is a good idea in our video below. This prestigious annual award with €100,000 for the winner attracts applications from financial service providers around the world that are innovating in a particular area of financial inclusion.
Financial inclusion is on the rise globally, accelerated by mobile phones and the internet, but gains have been uneven across countries. A new World Bank report on the use of financial services also finds that men remain more likely than women to have an account. Globally, 69 percent of adults – 3.8 billion people – now have an account at a bank or mobile money provider, a crucial step in escaping poverty. This is up from 62 percent in 2014 and just 51 percent in 2011. From 2014 to 2017, 515 million adults obtained an account, and 1.2 billion have done so since 2011, according to the Global Findex database.
There are an estimated 500 million smallholder families - representing about 2 billion people - around the world. Together, they make up one of the largest potential markets for financial services in many developing countries. Yet, reliable data on their financial lives and options is scarce. New tools from CGAP, MIX, One Acre Fund, and i2i shed light on this important client group by putting demand- and supply-side data at your fingertips.
Our Spring 2018 Newsletter is now out with: Launch of the European Microfinance Award 2018 Financial Inclusion through Technology - details of how to apply for the €100,000 prize; Publication of our latest European Dialogue, Microfinance for Housing: Building New Foundations in Housing Finance; "Microfinance in the Americas from the Point of View of an Investor", an article from our member BNP Paribas; BlueOrchard looks at "SMEs and SDGs: Supporting Small and Medium Enterprises to Achieve the Sustainable Development Goals"; Social performance pioneer CERISE celebrates its 20th anniversary; Insights from the recent 2018 SPTF Annual Meeting/Customer Centricity Learning event; Updates from our Action Groups plus all the latest news and activities from e-MFP and its members complete the edition.
The Sustainable Finance Forum Luxembourg brings together the European sustainable finance community: policy makers, practitioners, public stakeholders and corporate and retail investors. The high-level conference, featuring business and political leaders, will address key regulatory and market challenges, the asset management industry's role in sustainable investment, as well as how capital markets can contribute to a sustainable low-carbon economy
The next Offsite Session is a joint event joint event between the Financial Inclusion Forum UK and e-MFP, and is generously hosted by Allen & Overy. The panel discussion will be on access to finance for affordable housing
'Building New Foundations in Housing Microfinance' draws on the fascinating and diverse housing programmes of the 2017 Award winner and semi-finalists and distills the varied initiatives into seven factors for success.
Missed EMW 2017? Catch up now with our conference report which gives extensive coverage of all the sessions
This report highlights some of the central frictions that prevent greater financial inclusion and financial well-being, and associated technological innovations that are fostering creative new approaches to mitigating these frictions for individuals and small businesses globally.
This Midi will rely on a concrete example of coaching that took place between a financial consultant specialized in risk management with recognized expertise in banking in Europe and worldwide, and a Togolese microfinance institution
In 2018, the International Cooperative Alliance (ICA) European Research Conference will be held in The Netherlands. At this conference, scholars, representatives of cooperatives and policy makers will exchange the state of the art on building and strengthening cooperatives in different sectors and different countries.
On 19th April, InFiNe.lu in association with the Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, is holding "The World of SMEs: Investors' Perspective" - a SMEs finance seminar which will focus on the investors' perspective.
In an increasingly competitive space, employee development and retention are two key challenges for financial institutions in developing countries. One way they are addressing these challenges is by turning to online learning platforms such as CGAP's Gateway Academy
Check out CGAP's new research tool for financial services providers who are looking to serve smallholders.
This week with International Women's Day, there's a lot of discussion on how to serve women clients better. During EMW we took at look at understanding women and their needs within the environment in which they live
The study from Rabobank Foundation, AgriProFocus, Food & Business Knowledge Platform and ICCO Cooperation, focuses on agrifood SMEs that form the 'missing middle': too large for micro-finance and too small for mainstream banks and private equity firms. A major conclusion is that there are very few investment funds that meet the financing needs of agrifood SMEs.
The GSMA unveiled its seventh annual 'State of the Industry Report on Mobile Money', offering a current snapshot of the mobile money landscape and highlighting the impact that greater financial inclusion has on lives, economies and innovation. The report provides the only comprehensive picture of mobile money around the globe. Today, with more than 690 million registered accounts in over 90 countries, mobile money has evolved into the leading payment platform for the digital economy in many emerging markets. The report shows that, in 2017, the mobile money industry processed transactions worth a billion dollars a day, generating direct revenues of over $2.4 billion.
Mark your calendar now and join us for European Microfinance Week in Luxembourg, 14th – 16th November !
We're excited that the newest MIMOSA findings will be presented first-hand by Daniel Rozas, with input from long-time India microfinance expert Sanjay Sinha and credit data expert Parijat Garg, on 21 and 23 February 2018, in both Bangalore and Mamallapuram.
This MicroLead case study aims to highlight experiences of integrating client protection principles – the minimum standards microfinance clients should expect – into the initial design and roll-out of a digital savings product designed for savings groups
Meet e-MFP at the Customer Centricity Learning Event and SPTF Annual Meeting in Mamallapuram, India, February 19 - 22, 2018. This year's learning event - entitled Customer Centricity: Enabling Financial Choices and Positive Outcomes for Low-Income Customers - is an event jointly organized by SPTF, CGAP, Dvara and LeapFrog Investments
Registration is now open for the 2018 Boulder MFT - with more than 30 courses offered by world-renowned experts in English and French, the Boulder MFT is considered an industry standard in microfinance training.
Once again, Frankfurt School is offering development finance online courses starting on March 1st. Choose one of the 10 Certified Expert courses on Microfinance, Risk Management, Climate & Renewable Energy Finance, and more
The Cooperativa de Ahorro y Préstamo Tosepantomin, which means "everyone's money" in Nahuatl, won the European Microfinance Award 2017 for its support to marginalized rural communities through housing construction projects, which include savings products, mortgages, and technical assistance. Álvaro Aguilar Ayón, Chair of the cooperative's Board of Directors, spoke with Portal de Microfinanzas about the cooperative's launch, their clients, sustainable housing product development, and the lessons learned along the way.
'Commercialization of social enterprises: Stemming the tide of mission drift'. Find out how to avoid mission drift when transitioning a social enterprise or microfinance venture into a for-profit organisation
This new brochure presents the background on the Award, outlines the selection process, the Award ceremony and showcases the Award winner (Cooperative Tosepantomin, Mexico) and the two finalists (Mibanco, Peru and The First MicroFinance Bank – Afghanistan).
The CAS in Sustainable Finance covers the areas of Sustainable Investing, Sustainable Banking and Insurance, Microfinance, Microinsurance, and Emerging Market Finance. The courses combine academic training and research with current business practices, while promoting technical, methodological and social skills.
Our Winter Newsletter is out now with: highlights of European Microfinance Week (EMW) and the European Microfinance Award; spotlight on Cooperativa Tosepantomin, winner of the 2017 Award plus an interview with Alavaro Aguilar Ayon from Tosepantomin; an outline of the e-MFP General Meeting of Members with an introduction to our new e-MFP Chair and Board members; an article on the new research center at University of Agder in Norway - CERSEM; a look at Making Microfinance Investment Responsible and EMW 2017 updates from our other Action Groups. All the latest news and activities from e-MFP and its members completes the edition.
Over 690,000 families totalling up to four million people living in six low-income countries stand to benefit from a new climate insurance programme launched by VisionFund International, World Vision's microfinance arm and Global Parametrics, a new venture funded by the United Kingdom's Department for International Development (DFID) and by the InsuResilience Investment Fund, set up by German development bank KfW and managed by Swiss-based impact investment manager BlueOrchard Finance.
Every two years since 2009, e-MFP organizes the European Research Conference on Microfinance in collaboration with European universities. The Research Conference is a unique event that gathers together high level researchers, academics, professionals and students ensuring that the latest research is disseminated to the whole microfinance community. e-MFP is launching this call for interest to find a host and organiser for the 6th edition of the conference in 2019.
A report published by GIIN reveals a range of available strategies used by investors to strengthen their ability to exit in a way that meets liquidity objectives while also ensuring sustainable impact.
e-MFP is looking for a consultant to support the European Microfinance Award 2018 on "Financial Inclusion through Technology"
How can MFIs reduce interest rates whilst ensuring their sustainability? During this Midi, organised by ADA and InFiNe.lu, the audience will have the chance to hear and interact with experts coming both from the regulatory and the MFI sectors, from Africa and Latin America.
In case you missed the session at EMW 2017, catch up with the video of "Financial Inclusion Regulation: Challenges for Emerging Market Economies and Developing Countries"
Critics have landed plenty of punches over the long years of debate around microfinance's true impact on the poor. But to my mind, the industry's best response to these critiques has been to point to its singular success: Microfinance is "the only social innovation to: (1) reach global scale, (2) build a complete industry infrastructure, (3) tap into commercial capital on multiple continents, and (4) 'produce enough profit to generate actual controversy over the returns to social investments,'" as Grameen Foundation founder Alex Counts put it (paraphrasing a paper by Financial Access Initiative Managing Director Tim Odgen).
Over 490 participants from 66 countries gathered at EMW 2017 - see why in our photo galleries:
If you missed the TED-style session at EMW 2017, here's your chance to catch up on the entertaining session
During European Microfinance Week our media partner The Gateway sat down with Christoph Pausch e-MFP Executive Secretary, to discuss this year's conference theme: housing finance
A refugee settling in a new land, a family buying a home, a farmer nurturing her crops — every person has different financial needs — and loans, savings, and payment services should help them solve the challenges in their everyday lives. This year, European Microfinance Week focused on the heart of inclusive finance — understanding and interpreting customer needs.
Katharine Pulvermacher and Stewart McCulloch spoke at the session, "The transformative role of insurance in African agriculture." In this interview, they provide insights on some of the discussions around this issue and the challenges in scaling up agricultural insurance for smallholder farmers.
NextBillion's post from Paul DiLeo, Grassroots Capital Management:Last week, I moderated the closing plenary of European Microfinance Week, exploring the question of where microfinance – and MFIs – would be in five or 10 years. Panelists came from different organizations with varying perspectives of the industry
During the closing day of European Microfinance Week, Imran Matin of the US-based nonprofit Innovations for Poverty Action (IPA) stressed the importance of not just whether women will use financial services, but "what account ownership will translate into in terms of achievement." Foreshadowing a theme of the session, he added that "intra-household dynamics is very important and also particularly difficult to measure.
Many thanks to our media partners MicroCapital, Microfinance Gateway, Le Portail Microfinance, NextBillion, Development Finance and Accion for the excellent coverage of EMW 2017
European Microfinance Week (#EMW2017), organised by the European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP), concluded Friday in Luxembourg, with a provocative plenary that asked where the sector is heading in the next five to ten years. The closing plenary followed two days of workshops and plenaries: one plenary profiling the three finalists of the European Microfinance Award 2017 on Microfinance for Housing and another that sought to critically examine one of the core orthodoxies of microfinance – that outreach to women clients necessary increases women's empowerment. Entitled "Women clients ≠ women empowerment: beyond the numbers",
If you weren't at EMW 2017, or missed the livestream on Facebook, you can catch the exciting plenaries recorded by NextBillion
The Cooperativa de Ahorro y Préstamo Tosepantomin helps marginalised rural Mexican communities with their residential housing building projects by offering savings and home loan products paired with technical support. The cooperative is also recognised for its promotion of eco-friendly building techniques.
The European Microfinance Week (#emw2017) conference opened today in Luxembourg, hosted by the European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP). A member-driven conference supported by the Luxembourg government, EMW continues to grow as one of the most important annual events in the microfinance industry, bringing together all branches of the microfinance sector, including e-MFP's own members, to discuss trends, innovations, challenges and opportunities in inclusive finance in developing countries
Blue Orchard has recently published a new study on SMEs and SDGs exploring how to support small and medium enterprises to achieve the sustainable development goals
Rural finance is on the agenda during European Microfinance Week. Far from the bustling financial centers of the city, people in rural areas have long been underserved by traditional financial institutions. While this is a problem for all rural residents, the lack of access to financial services is particularly difficult for farmers since it bars them from growing their agricultural businesses. We talked to Jonathan Agwe of IFAD to get his opinions on the challenges that rural clients face in accessing financial services, as well as the solutions to help reach them.
In the run up to European Microfinance Week our media partner Microfinance Gateway talks with Sandra Prieto from Habitat from Humanity's Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter and Laura Hemrika from Credit Suisse about the upcoming session "Strategic Funding for Housing Microfinance."
In this interview (in French) with Christoph Pausch, e-MFP, our media partner Le Portail Microfinance takes a look at housing finance - topic of the European Microfinance Award 2017 and a key focus at European Microfinance Week, 29 Nov - 1 Dec
Are you working in financial inclusion? Don't miss European Microfinance Week taking place 29 Nov – 1 Dec, in Luxembourg. Every year e-MFP's top event gathers close to 500 professionals from all over the globe and offers excellent networking opportunities and the chance to learn from your peers.
In the run up to European Microfinance Week 29 Nov - 1 Dec, our media partner Le Portail Microfinance features an article (in French) by Alexis Lebel, OpenCBS & Jacinta Maiyo, Pamiga on digital finance, one of the many themes explored at EMW 2017
Kashf Foundation, which is a pioneer in women centric urban microfinance, has undertaken a detailed scoping of women led sectors in the rural economy along with MEDA to create a suite of products and services which can work for rural women in Pakistan. In this talk Zainab will present facets of women centric product development and preliminary outcomes and challenges from the pilot.
Dutch development bank FMO has agreed to provide a long-term loan of JOD 5 million (approximately USD 7 million) to SME-lender SANADCOM, a spin-off company of Microfund for Women, Jordan's leading privately owned Microfinance institution.
In anticipation of European Microfinance Week, 29 Nov - 1 Dec, MicroCapital takes a look at one of the upcoming sessions "Investing in MFIs: Importance of Human Resources to Achieve Impact" with Rüdiger Meister, ADG International
Want to master microinsurance? Starting end of February 2018, Microinsurance Master is a comprehensive 10-week leadership programme in partnership with Pioneer Insurance, ILO's Impact Insurance Facility and MicroInsurance Centre. Participants 'learn by doing' from industry leaders through training and coaching.
In this Talk, Justin McAuley will detail a product that VisionFund has implemented to automate the application process for loan officers in the field. Drawing on data from over 80 sources, the technology uses an algorithm to create loan terms appropriate to the financial situation of individual clients.
Economically isolated for decades, Myanmar has only recently opened up to the global community. With this came a lot of discussion about this South East Asian country being the 'last frontier' of financial inclusion. Microfinance legislation was passed in late 2011, but what has happened since? And what does the future look like? As part of Financial Inclusion Week 2017, join speakers from the UNCDF and VisionFund Myanmar to discuss what's next for microfinance in Myanmar
Today, as our friends and colleagues across the continent mark European Microfinance Day, we would like to offer a view from the South. After all, e-MFP occupies a distinct place – we're a platform for Europe-based microfinance actors who are specifically focused on working in the South as their core objective. Like an astronomer atop a lonely mountaintop, we find ourselves in the heart of Europe, yet our minds are focused on the world beyond. So what does European microfinance look like when seen from the South? Well, it is a bit like looking at the stars – the light shines bright yet comes from a distant past. Microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Europe look remarkably similar to the global MFIs of the 80s and 90s -- small, local organizations with a deep focus on lending to micro-enterprises while maintaining basic financial sustainability.
The unmet demand for finance for housing is massive. Read what some e-MFP members are doing to fill this gap
In India, energy access is a huge challenge; 80 million households have little or no access to grid electricity due to the lack of grid access in certain geographies. Providing quality, safe and reliable alternatives to kerosene and other traditional fuels means addressing two main challenges: distribution and affordability.
Veronica Herrera co-founded MiCrédito in 2004 with the support of the Canada-based development association MEDA (Mennonite Economic Development Associates). "Empowering youth is vital to see the change in Nicaragua that we seek" Mrs Herrera says. "I believe education, in addition to microfinance, is a powerful tool to […] empower youth" she adds.
Join Marina Kortenbusch has she explores the most effective ways to facilitate communication across cultures and nurture communities that support green development. Building on her experience of establishing the BFC Green learning and communication platform, Marina will share insights into building networks, suggestions for tapping into social media, and lessons for the future.
Our Autumn Newsletter is now out with: The three finalists of the €100,000 European Microfinance Award Great and a look at how e-MFP members are supporting access to housing for low income people; Update on European Microfinance Week 2017; Offsite Sessions - our events in Zurich and Utrecht; The InsuResilience Investment Fund - a Public-Private Partnership; BRS celebrates 25 years; Luxembourg Inclusive Finance Research Conference; plus all the latest news and activities from e-MFP and its members completes the edition.
In anticipation of European Microfinance Week, 29 Nov - 1 Dec, MicroCapital takes a look at one of the upcoming sessions with Manuel Hörl, Credit Suisse
The First MicroFinance Bank Afghanistan; Mibanco of Peru; and Cooperative Tosepantomin of Mexico Announced as Finalists for European Microfinance Award on Microfinance for Housing
The ADA Chair in Financial Law (Inclusive Finance) at the University of Luxembourg, Faculty of Law, Economics and Finance, organizes on the eve of the European Microfinance
Week the first Luxembourg Inclusive Finance Research Conference
Join Ndumiso Mpofu as he describes market solutions which were used to increase the speed of recovery for communities affected by El Nino. Ndumiso will also present a summary of findings from recovery lending in fragile African states from November 2015 to June 2017
The 3rd European Microfinance Day takes place on 20th October - The aim of this initiative is to raise awareness at European level of the existence and added-value of the microfinance sector in its fight against social exclusion and unemployment
Symbiotics has just published its 11th annual edition of the Symbiotics Microfinance Investment Vehicles (MIV) Survey. This unique study provides asset managers, investors and academia alike with the latest information of most of the world's microfinance fund activity in emerging markets
e-MFP & NpM are holding a one day training for investors on green inclusive finance, prepared and delivered by Enclude BV, organised by the e-MFP Microfinance & Environment Action Group and hosted by NpM.
Join Microfinance Gateway on September 20th for a webinar featuring a conversation between a researcher from CGAP and a policymaker from the Central Bank of Brazil which will demystify behavioral research and show actionable measures for policymakers working on consumer protection policies
Rural Outreach and Innovation Talks provide an ideal opportunity to share experience on rural development projects. Each Talk lasts 30 minutes in total, consisting of a 15-minute presentation followed by a 15-minute discussion.
The Helix Institute of Digital Finance has released a new paper by Mike McCaffery and Annabel Schiff, "Finclusion to Fintech" which is designed to help fintech innovators understand the unique money management strategies used by low-income people in the developing world.
Over 150 delegates and speakers from more than 30 countries attended the 5th European Research Conference on Microfinance - if you missed the event, catch up on the main highlights in the conference report now out.
Following the success and positive feedback on previous trainings, e-MFP is holding two new trainings at the upcoming African Microfinance Week (SAM) taking place in Addis Ababa, 9 - 13 October: ' Training for MFIs: The opportunity of Clean, Resilient business: training on green inclusive finance for MFIs', 9th of October & 'Training for investment officers: Due diligence for MFIs venturing into SME finance', 13th of October
Twice a year BlueOrchard organises thematic breakfast meetings in Zurich and Geneva. The next events will take place on September 27th 2017 in Zurich and September 28th 2017 in Geneva. During these events insights into BlueOrchard's recent developments and the latest trends in the impact investment space will be provided.
e-MFP is delighted to partner the 8th Microfinance Barometer released today. Convergences presents, in partnership with the National Federation of French Saving Banks (FNCE), MasterCard Foundation, the European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP) and Oikocredit, the Microfinance Barometer 2017, Convergences' historical main subject.With 132 million clients and a loan portfolio worth 102 billion dollars, microfinance consolidates its role a key lever for financial inclusion of marginalized populations.
RIM's Institution Assessment Training for Independent Assessors is an in-depth, 3-day training program designed for risk management experts, consultants, and consulting firms serving the microfinance industry
The Alternative Finance Forum: Between Fintech and Social Finance, takes place on 5 October 2017 at the Copernicus Conference Centre (Warsaw, Poland). Gathering alternative finance experts, practitioners, policy makers, regulators and researchers, the discussion will explore the opportunities for expanding access, equity and gender balance in support of social and economic progress.
A special track on "Microfinance" will be included at the FMA 22nd European Conference taking place 13th to 15th June 2018 in Kristiansand, Norway. This is the first time a special track on microfinance is included at a FMA conference and is a unique opportunity to disseminate research among top finance scholars
Hosted by the e-MFP, SMP and Credit Suisse, this event will address the factors that matter in applying microfinance to ensure adequate, affordable quality education and how to effectively achieve scale in this area of financial inclusion. The panel will introduce the winner and one of the finalists of the 2016 European Microfinance Award which focused on Microfinance and Access to Education. It will also explore the perspective of investors and technical assistance providers who are key in growing the sector responsibly.
This new report from CFI and IIF examines how partnerships between mainstream financial institutions and fintechs are addressing financial inclusion challenges and expanding access to the formal financial economy for underserved segments of the global population, particularly in emerging markets
Women's World Banking is holding its biennial 'Making Finance Work for Women' Summit in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, October 24- 25. The Summit will convene 300 participants in a variety of innovative sessions addressing the most important issues in women's financial inclusion.
BlueOrchard's Social Performance Report 2017/2018 highlights the common vision shared with the United Nations in creating a better future and shifting the world onto a sustainable path
Members of the Council on Smallholder Agricultural Finance (CSAF), which includes several e-MFP members, today announced in their newly published State of the Sector report that they provided $682 million in loans to 765 small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) during 2016
Interested in the evolving credit market for agricultural SMEs and the millions of smallholder farmers they represent? Register for the Council on Smallholder Agricultural Finance's "State of the Sector" webinar, which will take place at 10:00 a.m. (EDT) / 4:00 p.m. (CEST) on Wednesday, July 19.
ADA is an NGO which plays a leading role in the inclusive finance sector in Luxembourg and internationally. ADA is widely recognized for its work supporting the autonomous development of populations which are excluded from traditional financial services.
Now that three years have passed since CGAP and the Center for Financial Inclusion (CFI) at Accion published "The Art of the Responsible Exit in Microfinance Equity Sales," this subject deserves a re-visit and perhaps expansion of the paper's general principles into industry guidelines. As the financial inclusion and impact investment industries mature and grow, so does the issue of how investors committed to advancing financial inclusion can "exit responsibly" from the institutions in which they invest equity
Our Summer 2017 Newsletter is now out with: Great news on Luxembourg Government's continued support to e-MFP with the signature of a new agreement; Update on the response to call for applications for the €100,000 European Microfinance Award on Microfinance for Housing; Preparations for European Microfinance Week 2017; Offsite Sessions - our events in Paris & London; The Microfinance Industry: Revolution or Footnote? Lessons for the Next Ten Years - reflections form the recent workshop hosted by Lehigh University's Martindale Centre
Philippe Breul, founder of PHB Development, will teach in the French language sessions of the Boulder Microfinance Training Program, which will be held from 17 July to 4 August 2017 in Turin, Italy. In 2 one-week courses, he will share his experience and strategies in implementing digital finance.
PAMIGA is implementing a project to support the use of digital finance solutions in partner Microfinance institutions (MFIs), to ensure a sustainable growth in the MFIs selected, by reaching new geographical areas and underserved clients.
At BSHF we were very interested to learn about the European Microfinance Awards and really keen to hear more about some of the great practice being identified. We have been running the World Habitat Awards since 1985. In searching for and sharing the best examples, we have a lot in common with e-MFP. Our objective is to identify and highlight approaches to housing across the world which make outstanding contributions to people's living conditions. As a minimum we believe everyone should be able to afford their home, have access to basic services, and be free from the threat of eviction or displacement. This might seem like stating the obvious, but it isn't something that can be taken for granted.
This Midi will be dedicated to the female entrepreneurs of Africa. In Lomé as in Abidjan and Kigali, in an Africa ever more dominated by men, these women's entrepreneurial task is threefold: they are domestic entrepreneurs first, then entrepreneurs of their future, and finally business entrepreneurs in their own society.
The European Development Bank (EIB) and the Global Development Network (GDN) are looking to recruit 10 researchers for one year fellowships under a joint programme in applied development finance. The fellows should be nationals of countries in Africa, the Caribbean or Pacific regions
Congratulations to the winners of the Best PhD Paper Award at the 5th European Research Conference on Microfinance!
Humanitarian crises pose a formidable development challenge. While the nature and incidences of these crises vary significantly, they affect tens of millions of people, particularly the most vulnerable
Demographic pressure and the youth bulge in the developing world pose a major employment challenge. This situation is exacerbated by insufficient job creation, scarce formal wage employment opportunities and vulnerability in the workplace. For these reasons, fostering youth entrepreneurship has gained importance in the global and national development policy agenda.
UGAFODE, one of Uganda's five deposit-taking microfinance institutions (MFIs), is now featured in UNCDF MicroLead's third digital finance toolkit: "Leverage an Existing Agent Network"
e-MFP is looking for a consultant to conduct a one day training for Investment Officers on 'Due diligence for MFIs venturing into SME finance' which will take place on Friday13th of October 2017, in Addis Ababa (Ethiopia) in the framework of the African Microfinance Week
The white papers explores different factors that will contribute to a new investment paradigm over the coming decades, namely demographics, credit markets, and the global internet connectivity.
Can the know-how of German cooperatives – particularly in the field of renewable energy – be used for cooperation with our African partners? Can positive experiences with the decentralized energy transition be shared with African partner countries? How can cooperatives, municipalities and other decentralized actors get involved in a common effort with Africa?
Convergences and BNP Paribas are holding a morning event (in French) 'Assisting social start-ups' 20th June. This event is aimed at social entrepreneurs who are launching or developing their projects
Blockchain, Bitcoin, Cryptocurrency. In the financial inclusion community, we have been excited by the potential of new technology and its ability to increase access in the markets we serve. But what is this technology? How will it benefit the poor?
The application period for the European Microfinance Award 2017 on Microfinance for Housing has now closed. Thank you to the 37 institutions from 23 countries which applied
The GIIN's 2017 Annual Impact Investor Survey is based on an analysis of the activities of 209 of the world's leading impact investing organizations. Survey respondents collectively manage nearly USD 114 billion in impact assets
Read MicroCapital 's great nterview with Christoph Pausch, e-MFP Executive Secretary on Housing Finance and the 2017 European Microfinance Award on why was housing selected as the theme of this year's European Microfinance Award
Preparations are underway for European Microfinance Week, 29th November - 1st December 2017 and e-MFP is launching a request for proposals from its members for sessions which will take place during this year's prestigious event.
There's only one week left to apply for the European Microfinance Award 2017 on Microfinance for Housing. The European Microfinance Award is a prestigious €100,000 award which attracts applications from financial institutions around the world that are innovating in a particular area of financial inclusion. Presented annually, it serves two parallel goals: rewarding excellence, and collecting and disseminating the most relevant practices for replication by others.
Register now for great webinar on 17 May 2017 9:00 AM ET (U.S.) from Microfinance Gateway and RIM which features a practical methodology and a toolkit for microfinance institutions (MFIs) interested in developing a best practice risk management system
Housing plays an important role in household asset building – providing both a place of protection from vulnerabilities as well as a base from which to be economically productive. Even low-income people prioritize investment in improving their living conditions. The base of the pyramid is estimated to spend over $330bn annually on shelter. The question is why we lack financing for housing?
Time is running out to register for the 5th European Research Conference on Microfinance - one of the primary meeting places for academic researchers working on microfinance. Organized by the Portsmouth Business School, in cooperation with the European Microfinance Platform and CERMi, the conference will draw together ideas from Europe and beyond which tackle the inclusion problem
Deloitte and Mastercard have released a joint report titled 'Leveraging digital to unlock the base of the pyramid market in Africa', with focus on the waves of digital innovation in financial services. The report, released during the World Economic Forum on Africa (WEF), reinforces that digital technology is financially empowering more Africans
We're delighted to announce that on 2nd May e-MFP signed a new agreement with the Luxembourg Government for the period 2017 – 2021, which guarantees the financial support required for implementing our new Strategic Plan. This firm commitment will enable us to build on our achievements and further develop our activities.
The Burgundy School of Business will organize the 8th edition of its annual conference "Institutional and Technological Environments of Microfinance" (ITEM) on "financial inclusion" in Dijon, France on 7th and 8th December 2017
The Global Symposium on Microfinance will be held May 22-23, 2017 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
Our Spring 2017 Newsletter is now out with: Launch of the European Microfinance Award 2017 Microfinance for Housing - details of how to apply for the €100,000 prize
Drawing on BlueOrchard's expertise, "Small Money, Big Impact" explains how microfinance works and why. It illustrates through the experience of individuals, facts and figures the worldwide impact of microfinance
Over the past two decades, Luxembourg has actively supported the development of microfinance and inclusive finance as tools for fostering development and eradicating poverty
Oikocredit is looking for a Chief Risk Officer (CRO) to join the team in Amersfoort, the Netherlands, to enable risk-informed strategic decision making
We're delighted to announce the release of the latest European Dialogue entitled Investing in Tomorrow, presenting the outcomes of the European Microfinance Award 2016, on Microfinance and Access to Education
ADA is pleased to invite you to submit research paper for the conference Research Meets Africa that will take place on 9th of October 2017 in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
LMDF is looking for an Assistant Investment Manager, who can take responsibility for many of the investment and control processes in the microfinance and other Sub-Funds
The School of Business and Law at the University of Agder in Norway invites applications for up to seven full-time fixed-term appointments as PhD Research Fellows in International Management, including issues in Microfinance
The conference is being organised by the University of Portsmouth, UK in cooperation with e-MFP and the Centre for European Research in Microfinance (CERMi) with an overall theme of "Microfinance and Financial Inclusion"
Join the webinar series on Risk Management for Financial Inclusion hosted by Microfinance Gateway and Risk Management Initiative in Microfinance (RIM) to discuss effective strategies and share practical tools
InFiNe.lu, in co-operation with VBDO (The Dutch Association of Investors for Sustainable Development) organises a masterclass on investing and climate change to share insights and best-practices and discuss the next steps institutional investors can take on this topic
We're delighted to announce our Off-site Sessions, a new activity developed under our Strategic Plan 2017-2021 that provides e-MFP with opportunities for more frequent touchpoints with its members and external stakeholders besides the European Microfinance Week.
Twice a year BlueOrchard organises thematic breakfast meetings in Zurich and Geneva. The next two events will take place on March 29th 2017 in Zurich and March 30th 2017 in Geneva
Registration is open for the 20th anniversary MFC Annual Conference "Horizon 2037: Fair Finance for All" which takes place 24-26 May 2017, in Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Missed EMW 2016? Now you can catch up with our conference report which gives extensive coverage of all the sessions
I could not have been happier when I heard that this year the European Microfinance Platform is focusing on housing microfinance. As a microfinance specialist for the last 21 years—and the last 9 exclusively dedicated to microfinance products for housing—I have witnessed the growth potential of this sub-sector of microfinance, as well as the constraints and limitations to the expansion of housing finance portfolios, amongst which the most important include lack of adequate capital and insufficient knowledge on how to develop differentiated housing finance products. When we hear that: at least 1.6 billion of the global population lives in substandard housing; at least half of the global population—3.5 billion people—currently lives in cities; and 828 million people live in slums (according to the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals), both funders and financial institutions alike should take note and pay close attention.
Cordaid Investment Management B.V. (CIMBV) is the subsidiary of Stichting Cordaid that manages all investments. CIMBV is an Alternative Investment Fund Manager registered at the Authority for the Financial Markets (AFM). We combine the unique ability to finance partners with grants, equity and debt instruments in selected countries across three continents. We have EUR 80 million of assets under management, predominantly investments in microfinance institutions (MFI's), small and medium enterprises (SME's) and funds with a social mission. Over 70 investees are being served worldwide
Climate Finance and the Social Development Goals will be the focus of this year's annual Impact Investing Conference organized by the Association of the Luxembourg Fund Industry (ALFI) in collaboration with the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN), the European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP) and the Luxembourg Fund Labelling Agency LuxFLAG
ESELA, an international network of law firms, legal experts, academics and others specialising in the law as it relates to social enterprise holds its annual conference on the theme of 'Teaming Up in the Middle: How Business and Not for Profits Jointly Create Social Impact', 28th April in Brussels
Save the Date for LMDF's event on 8th March 2017, Luxembourg
A recent report from the Asian Development Bank, Oliver Wyman and Microsave looks at the role that digital finance can play in accelerating financial inclusion, focusing on four Southeast Asian markets – Indonesia, the Philippines, Cambodia, and Myanmar
Members of the Council on Smallholder Agricultural Finance (CSAF) announced at their regional meeting that they have formally adopted a set of jointly developed environmental, social, and governance (ESG) principles. These principles apply across the nine members' loan portfolios, which in 2015 encompassed $597 million to 672 businesses purchasing crops and providing services to two million smallholder farmers in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Financial Inclusion. Housing. How often have you seen the two concepts appear together? If you think rarely – you're not alone. Housing finance is that mysterious niche that crops up from time to time, but rarely makes headlines in our sector. And that's both a conundrum and a shame.
Cordaid Investment Management B.V. (CIM B.V.) is the subsidiary of Cordaid that manages all investments. CIM B.V. combines the unique ability to finance partners with grants, equity and debt instruments in selected countries across three continents. CIM B.V. has EUR 80 million of assets under management, predominantly investments in microfinance institutions (MFI's) and small and medium enterprise (SME) funds with a social mission and serves over 100 investees worldwide. CIM B.V. is looking for a Compliance Officer (32-36 hours per week)
Initial Public Offerings in microfinance tend to inspire heated opinions: Does investment boost the industry's growth, or compromise its social focus? NextBillion discussed the topic in a Twitter chat on January 30, 2017
This new brochure presents the background on the Award, outlines the selection process, the Award ceremony and showcases the Award winner (Kashf Foundation, Pakistan) and the two finalists (Fundación Génesis Empresarial, Guatemala and Opportunity Bank Uganda Limited)
Listen to the NextBillion podcast and on Monday, Jan. 30, these topics will be discussed in more depth in NextBillion's first Twitter chat, featuring Kanze, Rozas and Microfinance Transparency founder Chuck Waterfield – join us at 10:00 AM EST at #MFICHAT
Don't miss Daniel Rozas in NextBillion's inaugural Twitter chat, which will take place at 10:00 AM EST on Jan. 30. You can follow the conversation at #MFICHAT.
The objective of this assignment is to provide a better understanding of key challenges and obstacles faced by entrepreneurs, notably in accessing adequate finance to grow their businesses, in the following countries: Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam
Take 25.000€ crowdfunded, 150 selected micro entrepreneurs, a Renault 4L car and 2 dreamers. Mix it all and discover an around the world trip supporting micro and small businesses through microcredit! Come and meet the team on 1st March in Luxembourg
The European Microfinance Programme (EMP) recruitment campaign for academic year 2017-2018 has started. Launched in 2005, the EMP is co-organized by three universities: Université libre de Bruxelles, Université de Mons and Université Paris-Dauphine and five NGO partners: ADA, BRS, CERISE, Positive Planet and SOS Faim. Courses are held in Brussels, on the premises of the Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management.
Check out the e-MFP Winter 2016/2017 Newsletter for highlights of European Microfinance Week (EMW); an interview with Ms. Roshaneh Zafar, Kashf Foundation, winner of the 2016 European Microfinance Award on Microfinance and Access to Education
NextBillion took the opportunity of European Microfinance Week to talk with Graham Wright, MicroSave about fintech - How can microfinance institutions go about leveraging fintech in their products and practices?
Microfinance, a lead sector within the larger impact investing spectrum, has gained prominence from development-minded investors over the past decades. Initially, international funding into microfinance was generated largely from donor organizations, including public development agencies and private foundations. As the market gained traction, the role of private capital grew in importance as not only a means for microfinance institutions (MFIs) to reach scale, but also to increase their social outreach beyond what was possible with donor money.
VisionFund International is hosting an online discussion on 8th February about why the microfinance industry needs to fundamentally alter the way it thinks about insurance
Following last year's extremely successful event, e-MFP is pleased to announce that European Microfinance Week will take place 29th November - 1st December 2017, in Luxembourg.
Key issues and policy suggestions for promoting financial inclusion are discussed in this new policy brief from ADB
Financial Inclusion Forum UK is excited to invite you to what promises to be a stirring and thought provoking evening "Digital Financial Services: Are we realising their full potential?" featuring Graham Wright, Founder of MicroSave and Anant Nautiyal of GSMA hosted by Citi on 19th January in London.
The 'Guidelines on Outcomes Management for Investors' from e-MFP's Social Performance Outcomes Action Group is one of the top 2016 publications featured in the Microfinance Gateway's 'Year in Review: Top Ten Publications of 2016'.
The ADA Chair is launching the first edition of its Certificate in Law and Regulation of Inclusive Finance from 16th of 27th january 2017. This two weeks of executive training aims to deepen the students' specific knowledge and skills in the field of inclusive finance law and regulation, with a focus on developing countries ensuring awareness of the topic of law and regulation in the inclusive finance scene for regulators, intermediaries and other inclusive finance organisations
The European Microfinance Research Conference is one of the primary meeting places for academic researchers working on microfinance. Since the first conference in Brussels, Belgium, in 2009, and its successors in Groningen, Netherlands (2011), Kristiansand, Norway (2013), and Geneva, Switzerland (2015), the conference has been a unique platform for academics to exchange ideas, build and consolidate networks, give visibility to their projects and to identify gaps and different paths for new research
Frankfurt School of Finance & Management offers different programmes on Development Finance, which will help you to systematically and successfully develop your qualifications and to build your career while recognizing the social function of education
Join VisionFund International's next private dinner 'Empowering today's women for the women of tomorrow' with VisionFund International's Social Performance Director, Johanna Ryan, on 31st January in London.
Together with the the Netherlands Space Office and the Rabobank Foundation, NpM is organising its annual conference on the theme of Geodata for Inclusive Finance and Food
The market size of investments in the microfinance sector by specialized financing vehicles has increased over five-fold in the last decade. This is one of the many high-level findings coming out of the recently released white paper co-written by Symbiotics and CGAP about the 10-year landscape of microfinance off-shore investments.
New publication - "How to IPO Successfully and Responsibly—Lessons From Indian Financial Inclusion Institutions"
SOS Faim's mission is to see a world without hunger, that is fairer, more caring and respectful of the environment, where all peoples can live in dignity, with their basic needs provided for.
Microfinance Gateway inteviews Kashf Foundation winner of the European Microfinance Award on Microfinance and Access to Education
Over 450 participants from 58 countries gathered at EMW 2016 - see why in our photo galleries
Islamic microfinance: A solution to expand financial inclusion? 13th December
Microfinance conferences have offered a unique experience in recent years. In the world outside the events, the industry has been wracked by extraordinary upheaval. It has lurched from development sector darling to punching bag, as client over-indebtedness grabbed headlines, research cast doubt upon its anti-poverty impact, and skeptics gleefully used these events to call the entire industry into question.
European Microfinance Week is the highlight of the European Microfinance Platform (e-MFP) calendar and a major annual event of the microfinance industry, hosting high-level discussions by all sectors of the European microfinance community working in developing countries.The conference each year welcomes among the 400 participants much of the Platform's membership, now over 120 organisations and individuals. This year's conference was particularly special, being the tenth anniversary of e-MFP, and a perfect opportunity to reflect on how much has changed in the past decade, and how much there is to expect in the decade ahead.The conference, held over 16th-18th November provided focus to six main streams: green microfinance; investors, donors and funders; rural finance; social performance; and digital innovations and the 2016 European Microfinance Award topic of Access to Education.
e-MFP is looking for a consultant to support the 8th European Microfinance Award
MicroCapital reports on the lively debate at the EMW 2016 Closing Plenary, 'Digital finance: Full inclusion or empty promise'
Development Finance reports on the EMW 2016 session 'Myanmar, the new Golden Land for microfinance?'
MicroCapital reports from the EMW 2016 session 'Investing in green inclusive finance: Challenges, opportunities, strategies, the way forward'
Thanks to our media partners for their excellent coverage of European Microfinance Week (#emw2016)
MicroCapital reports from the EMW 2016 session 'Myanmar, the new Golden Land for microfinance'
e-MFP marked its 10th anniversary during EMW which offered a great opportunity to reflect on the achievements so far, and look ahead as well.
EMW 2016 concluded Friday in Luxembourg, after having brought together over 470 opinion-leaders, top management of banks, funds and other financial institutions, practitioners, academics, analysts, raters and industry commentators to present key innovations, challenges and the work conducted in the previous year by e-MFP's several dedicated Action Groups
Thursday, 17th November saw the long-awaited ceremony for the 7th European Microfinance Award which was won by Kashf Foundation of Pakistan
Islamic microfinance: A solution to expand financial inclusion?
See NextBilion's live streaming of the #emw2016 Closing Plenary, Digital Finance: Full inclusion or empty promise?
In advance of European Microfinance Week 16-18 November, Microfinance Gateway talked with Philippe Bruel, PhB Development, moderator of the session 'Data driven microfinance: small bits, big data
In anticipation of European Microfinance Week, 16 - 18 November, our media partner Responsible Investor posed some questions to Triple Jump
As part of it's series looking at what's in store at European Microfinance Week, 16-18 November, our media partner MicroCapital talked with Lucia Spaggiari of Microfinanza Rating & Amelia Greenberg of the Social Performance Task Force from e-MFP's Social Performance Outcomes Action Group
e-MFP is delighted to announce a new publication, European Dialogue No.10: Guidelines On Outcomes Management For Investors. The Guidelines are the result of the work carried out by the e-MFP Social Performance Outcomes Action Group
'Digital finance: full inclusion or empty promise?' - one of the great sessions at European Microfinance Week 16-18 Nov. See Graham Wright's interview on Microfinance Gateway:
In the run up to European Microfinance Week, our media partners have been talking to panellists to see what's in store
CERMi a multilingual, international research centre based in Belgium, is offering a full time one-year research fellowship on microfinance and SME banking, at the Solvay Brussels School of Economics and Management (SBS-EM), ULB
The 2017 SPTF Social Investor Working Group Meeting will take place March 15 & 16 at the University of Zurich, Zurich, hosted by the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC), the Swiss Capacity Building Facility (SCBF), and the University of Zürich's Centre for Microfinance
Our e-MFP Action Groups are gearing up for European Microfinance Week (EMW) where they'll gather for their annual meetings on 16th November and also share their latest findings in panels they've organised on 17th & 18th November. In anticipation of EMW the Microfinance & Environment Action Group and the Digital Innovations for Financial Empowerment Action Group have released the following publications:
Led by speakers including Laurie Lee (CEO, CARE International UK) and Josefine Lindänge Gutman (CEO, Hand in Hand International), the conference will explore evidence-based solutions to overcoming the lack of access to capital and training faced by women entrepreneurs in the developing world
This week marks Financial Inclusion Week. In support of this effort to highlight what Financial Inclusion means for the Platform, e-MFP would like to highlight the work being done in Cambodia by its members and partners, including ADA, BIO, FMO, Incofin, and Proparco, as well as by the MIMOSA Project.
What does financial inclusion mean for your organisation and what role does your organisation play as a financial inclusion agent?
CoopEst celebrates its10th anniversary on the 2nd European Microfinance Day in Brussels on October 20th from 6pm to 8pm at Hotel Sofitel Europe.
Check out the e-MFP Autumn 2016 Newsletter for an update on the 7th European Microfinance Award on Microfinance and Access to Education and the 3 Finalists chosen
As part of Financial Inclusion Week 2016, on Wednesday 19 October VisionFund International is hosting a webinar about providing Mobile Money to rural microfinance clients.
The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has entered into an agreement with Citi to expand local currency lending to the microfinance sector under the Microfinance Risk Participation and Guarantee Program. Under the agreement, ADB and Citi will together facilitate up to $100 million of local currency loans to microfinance institutions in developing Asia.
MicroCapital previews one of the exciting plenaries of European Microfinance Week, 'Microfinance and housing, one brick at a time', in an interview with the panellists Rajnish Dhall of Micro Housing Finance Corporation, Mark van Doesburgh of Triple Jump and Daniel Ro
Fundación Génesis Empresarial, Kashf Foundation, and Opportunity Bank of Uganda Announced as Finalists for 7th European Microfinance Award on Access to Education
Last week saw two nearly identical financial scandals hit two very different parts of the world. One was the revelation that Wells Fargo, one of the leading US banks, had falsely created some 2 million accounts for customers who never asked for them and were largely unaware of their existence. The other was about banks in India secretly depositing 1 rupee (0.015 euro) into their customer's accounts.
The annual Microfinance Barometer which analyses trends in the sector is now available in English. e-MFP is proud to partner the Barometer and has contributed two articles
For the 5th year running, the 2016 edition of the Positive Economy Forum will be held on September, 13th – 17th, 2016 in Le Havre.
The Microinsurance Network will hold a workshop "How to optimise distribution in the low-cost insurance environment?", 28th September
The 9th edition of the Convergences World Forum will take place 5 – 7 September 2016, in Paris. e-MFP is delighted to be the organiser of the session on 'Microfinance & housing: The role of microfinance in providing access to housing'
In 2015, through 20 programmes in 10 countries, Entrepreneurs du Monde gave its support to 153,000 men and women in their initiatives to bring their families out of poverty
The 2016 report assesses these countries' financial inclusion ecosystems based on four dimensions of financial inclusion: country commitment, mobile capacity, regulatory environment, and adoption of selected traditional and digital financial services
A lack of data is a significant bottleneck for financial institutions and development organizations. The same is true for knowledge about a targeted sector, especially when working in agriculture and agri-finance
Tthe CSFI report takes a broader look at financial inclusion and describes the risks in the provision of financial services to people in emerging markets whose access to these services is either limited or non-existent.
WSBI announced a new partnership with The MasterCard Foundation to help boost financial access and economic development in seven African countries. The Foundation has committed $16 million over 5½ years to enable at least one million people to open accounts at banks in Côte d'Ivoire Mali, Morocco, Nigeria, Kenya, Senegal and Uganda.
The Better Than Cash Alliance 'Responsible Digital Payments Guidelines' identify eight good practices for engaging with clients who are sending or receiving digital payments and who have previously been financially excluded or underserved
Rise in loan ticket size and shift of borrower base in favour of urban areas marked a strong rebound in Indian microfinance industry, whose combined gross loan portfolio (GLP) grew 84 per cent to Rs 53,200 crore in FY16 from Rs 28,900 crore in the previous year
IFAD invests in rural people, empowering them to reduce poverty, increase food security, improve nutrition and strengthen resilience. Learn more about IFAD's activities in their annual report
MicroCapital features an interview on rural finance with Marina Kortenbusch, Business and Finance Consulting who serves as the Head e-MFP's Rural Outreach and Innovation (ROI) Action Group and Josien Sluijs, e-MFP board member and Director of the Netherlands' Platform for Inclusive Finance, which is also a member of the ROI Action Group
The symposium to be held in May 2017, aims to take stock of the theoretical and professional debates regarding agricultural and rural development, food security, and their reciprocal relations with overall development
Thin - Filed and No - Filed individuals and emerging SMEs find it difficult to qualify for loans from financial institutions as they do not have previous banking history. Credit bureaus traditionally used the credit history of individuals or financial data of SMEs, such as, balance sheets and bank transactions for credit assessment. However, the traditional procedure is not applicable to previously unbanked individuals and new businesses
New study from CFI and IIF on banks' significant contribution to expanding financial inclusion
e-MFP is launching this call for interest to find a host for the 5th edition of the conference. Interested organisations should submit a brief proposal and the deadline for submission is 22 August 2016
Check out the e-MFP Summer 2016 Newsletter for the latest update on the 7th European Microfinance Award 'Microfinance and Access to Education'; an article on 'Financing Access to Energy' from e-MFP's Microfinance and Environment Action Group
Alterfin is looking for an Africa Investment Manager to be based in Brussels, Belgium (full time), with frequent travels to Africa. This position involves responsibility for the development and management of loans to MFIs and POs in Africa, through the portfolio management of Alterfin and Fefisol
Womens World Banking (WWB) announces the release of the digital 2015 annual report which shares their progress toward bringing innovative financial services to women around the world.
Back in November 2015, a press release briefly made the rounds, announcing that "Opportunity, Inc. . . . has entered into a share purchase agreement to sell six banks serving sub-Saharan Africa to the MyBucks Group, a Luxembourg-based financial technology (fintech) company." This generated some comments on LinkedIn and a blog by consultant Hannah Siedek, who recognized how unusual a deal this was and wondered if she should consider it "a good (or not so good) operation." But aside from this, reaction has been surprisingly muted
Social investor, Oikocredit, announced its social performance results for 2015. Result highlights include: Investments in low-income countries up 22% to € 132 million, Clients reached through inclusive finance partners up 24% to 46 million
The Scaling Up REmittances (SURE) 2016 Call for Proposals aims to attract innovative pilot projects and scale up initiatives to support IFAD's rural transformation agenda
See MicroCapital's interview with Christoph Pausch, e-MFP, on the 7th European Microfinance Award on Access to Education - why it's important and how can MFIs approach education
Taking part at the #EDD2016 in Brussels? Join Gabriela Erice, e-MFP, panelist on the 'Technology and innovation in financial inclusion for sustainable development' session, Thursday June 16th
The application period for the 7th European Microfinance Award on Microfinance and Access to Education has now closed. We'd like to thank all the institutions which applied.
The WSBI Annual Meetings "Banking in the 21st Century" will be hosted by the Government Savings Bank, the WSBI member in Thailand.
The Department of Banking and Finance at the University of Zurich is pleased to announce its latest executive education program - the Certificate of Advanced Studies (CAS) in Sustainable Finance
Representatives of ResponsAbility and LMDF funds will present the opportunities and challenges of microfinance investments.
The sixth edition of the Annual Impact Investor Survey from the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN) is based on an analysis of the activities of 158 of the world's leading impact investing organizations
Peruvian savings banks are taking the plunge into a high-tech initiative designed to boost financial inclusion. Called BIM, short for "Billetera móvil", translated as "Mobile Wallet", the unique national e-wallet system brings together 34 financial institutions – including those savings bank within WSBI member Peruvian Federation of Municipal Savings and Credit Banks (FEPCMAC) under the partnership called "Modelo Peru"
EIB Stakeholder Engagement Workshop, Monday 6 June 2016, Brussels
Wondering how to support professional and social inclusion within the European Union despite public and private investment shortage?
Registration is open for the 13th EMN Annual Conference with the theme 'Shaping European Microfinance | Who, What and for Whom?'
Since 2006, the European Microfinance Award (€100,000 prize) has supported innovative thinking in the microfinance sector
The 9th Edition of the European Dialogue is focused on the 2015 European Microfinance Award, recognising excellence in microfinance in post-disaster/post-conflict areas & fragile states
The Microinsurance Network is looking for a Microinsurance Expert
Check out the e-MFP Spring 2016 Newsletter for details of the 7th European Microfinance Award Microfinance and Access to Education
What opportunities can climate finance offer impact investors after the Paris Cop 21 Agreement to direct all finance towards sustainable, low-emissions, climate-resilient development? How can private investors adhere to this commitment and achieve both environmental and financial return? How can the impact finance industry reach sufficient scale to attract institutional investors while not losing sight of its original mission?
Preparations are underway for European Microfinance Week, 16th - 18th November 2016 and e-MFP is launching a request for proposals from its members for sessions
The 2016 European Microfinance Award 'Microfinance and Access to Education' is intended to recognise the role of microfinance in enabling access to education for children and/or skill-training for youth and adults to enhance their employment and self-employment.
The ILO Impact Insurance Facility and its partners are organizing a public symposium to look into successful models in agriculture insurance, and discuss key issues such as relevance for small-scale farmers and the role of governments to improve equity and sustainability of the schemes.
The annual SPTF meeting will take place 30 May - 2 June.
Positive Planet has completed the implementation of the Shea Project Phase 1 (2012-2014), which was reaching more than 15,000 women shea processors through capacity building on best practices of shea processing, microfinance and ICT with the aim of tackling the major issues faced by women shea producers.
What are the e-MFP Action Groups? How do they contribute to the inclusive finance sector? What are the benefits of being a member?
e-MFP members Agora Microfinance and VisionFund International help increase the quality and availability of financial services tailored to meet the unique needs of smallholder farmers
Entrepreneurs du Monde will bring together nine Asian partner organisations to work together in Kolkata, India from 14th - 18th March
The Advans group is looking for a highly motivated Chief Operating Officer to join its team. This position is a replacement and is based at the Paris office
IFAD's multi-donor supported Platform for Agricultural Risk Management (PARM) is organizing a side event in occasion of the 12th CAADP Partnership Platform on "Financing African Agriculture and Implementation Support for accelerated Agriculture Growth and Transformation" held by AU/NEPAD in Accra, from 11 to 15 April 2016
The intriguing experience of mobile money pioneer M-PESA.
27th of April 2016 in Brussels with Michael Joseph, Director of Mobile Money at Vodafone Group Services Ltd
We are pleased to announce that the extensive conference report is now accessible online
Read about ILO's activities to develop inclusive insurance across 14 countries in Latin America, Asia and Africa in their 2015 annual report
Investment funds and microfinance: how to boost sustainable agriculture in developing countries?
Registration is now open for the 2016 Boulder MFT in English and French, July 18 to August 5, 2016 – Turin, Italy
The next course period will start on March 1, 2016.
The Department of Banking and Finance at the University of Zurich is pleased to announce its latest executive education program
FOROAGRO is an international event that will unite world experts to discuss and debate how best to promote various initiatives that ensure broad-based financial services for agriculture, food security, climate change
See the new e-MFP publication presenting the 3 finalists of the 6th European Microfinance Award
European Microfinance Week, 16th - 18th November 2016
Check out the e-MFP Winter 2015/2016 Newsletter
The Award is open to any European institution or organisation directly or indirectly involved in the financial inclusion of people excluded from mainstream financial services or with a limited access to them in European Union or EFTA countries.
Agricultural finance is crucial to support the growth of the agricultural sector. Indeed, it is essential for food security, job creation, and overall economic growth.
The material from the very successful training course organised by the e-MFP Microfinance and Environment Action Group during European Microfinance Week
Thank you to the 457 participants from 67 countries who gathered at European Microfinance Week, 18 - 20 November 2015
Microfinance Gateway have published an article on CRG, winner of the 6th European Microfinance Award
e-MFP is looking for a consultant to support the 7th European Microfinance Award
This report is the first attempt in the microfinance sector to address the area of green performance monitoring in a comprehensive manner
Call for Tenders for the final evaluation of University Meets Microfinance II (UMM) –deadline December 7, 2015: tender description, technical proposal template and financial proposal template – Expression of interest due by Nov. 30th
Global microfinance markets are expected to grow by 10-15% in 2016, although growth rates will differ markedly between regions. This is the key finding of the newly released responsAbility Microfinance Market Outlook 2016
SPTF is pleased to invite you to a webinar that will share the findings so far from their joint project with UNHCR to develop guidelines for financial service providers seeking to provide microfinance to refugee populations
Thanks to our media partners MicroCapital, Next Billion, Microfinance Gateway and Le Portail de la Microfinance, for their excellent coverage of European Microfinance Week
Small is powerful: how to support small businesses in Africa?
The three finalists videos shown at the 6th European Microfinance Award Ceremony, held on 19th November, at the European Investment Bank are now available online
European Microfinance Week (#EMW2015) concluded Friday in Luxembourg, with a closing plenary looking ahead to the future of microfinance, 'Where to from here?", with Blaine Stephens of the MIX Market, and Marc Labie of UMONS.
Crédit Rural de Guinée (CRG) has been announced as the winner of the 6th European Microfinance Award, focusing this year on Microfinance in Post-disaster, Post-conflict Areas & Fragile States, for its innovative response to the Ebola outbreak in Guinea
European Microfinance Week (#emw2015) got underway today in Luxembourg, with this year's attention on Financial Inclusion for Sustainable Development
Don't miss the conversation at European Microfinance Week, #emw2015
European Microfinance Week, 18th - 20th November, is fast approaching and the deadline to register is Wednesday,11th November 18.00
The e-MFP Digital Innovations for Financial Empowerment (DIFE) Action Group just released a new publication: the FINCA Tanzania Success Case
Microfinance Lunch Break in Brussels, 8th December Brussels
Triple Jump, an impact investment fund manager with a global portfolio, is looking for a Portfolio Analyst, Eastern Europe, Caucasus and Central Asia (ECCA) Team and a Portfolio Analyst, Latin America
Cantilan Bank was awarded for its gender-sensitive approach to financial inclusion and agricultural value chain financing for smallholder farmers
The e-MFP Action Group of Investors in Tier 2/3 MFIs is organizing a one-day workshop for investment officers during the Working Day, 18th November, of the European Microfinance Week
Check out the e-MFP Autumn 2015 Newsletter
On September 22nd, NpM in cooperation with FMO and Hivos, hosted the Green Inclusive Finance Conference
Borrow Wisely Campaign 2015: International financial education campaign will reach over 150 000 clients in 30 days
Crédit Rural de Guinée, The First Microfinance Institution - Syria and TSKI from the Philippines are the three finalists who will go on to compete for the €100,000 prize
The e-MFP Outcomes Action Group was formed in June 2015, in partnership with the SPTF Outcomes Working Group. It includes members of both e-MFP and SPTF.
In anticipation of European Microfinance Week 2015, media partner MicroCapital talked with Edvardas Bumsteinas of the EIB
The 9th edition of the Symbiotics Microfinance Investment Vehicles (MIV) Survey has just been published
EMN and MFC will celebrate the 1st European Microfinance Day, 20th October with the 180 members of both networks in the European Union
The set of product catalogues aims at providing a simple but comprehensive overview of both the technical and financial requirements, and socioeconomic and environmental benefits of the most common renewable energy (RE) and energy efficient (EE) technologies
The Forum is a meeting place for the public sector, private companies, civil society, media and students committed to sustainable development and to fighting poverty
The conference organised by NpM – Platform for Inclusive Finance, FMO and Hivos will take place in The Hague on 22 September 2015
The report evaluates access to and usage of affordable financial services by underserved people across 21 countries
The Positive Economy Forum is a platform working for development of a positive economy , oriented towards the interests of future generations
Microcredit emerged with the objective of including the poor into the banking system to help them improve their lives and change their destiny
The EcoMicro Program, co-funded by the Inter-American Development Bank's Multilateral Investment Fund and the Nordic Development Fund, recently commissioned a study on The State of and Perspectives on Green Microfinance in Latin America and the Caribbean
The Mifos Initiative is holding a webinar Transforming Financial Inclusion - Mifos & SACCOs/Credit Unions, on Tuesday, August 25, 2015 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM GMT
The 14th University Meets Microfinance (UMM) Workshop on Responsible Inclusive Finance and Customer Empowerment will take place on 14th - 15th September at the Frankfurt School of Finance & Management
The annual Microfinance Barometer which analyses trends in the sector has just been published (in French). This year, as there is a special focus on digital finance, Philippe Breul, Head of the new e-MFP Digital Innovations for Financial Empowerment Action Group
What's in store at European Microfinance Week (EMW), 18th - 20th November 2015
VisionFund International is looking to expand it's team and has four job opportunities
This month's MicroCapital Monitor features an interview with Severine Debbos of ILO and Jared Penner of Child and Youth Finance International on More Inclusive Finance for Youth: Scalable and Sustainable Delivery Models for Financial and Non-Financial Services
Successful MFI practitioner in western europe seeks international expansion
Smallholders generally constitute the vast majority of farmers in most countries, and they account for 60% of global agriculture and provide up to 80% of food in developing countries.
The Centre for European Research in Microfinance and the Centre for Social Economy are offering a 2-year full-time research fellowship
Check out the e-MFP Summer 2015 Newsletter
Microfinance et auto-entrepreneurs : Nord et Sud - Comment la microfinance peut-elle aider les auto-entrepreneurs dans les pays développés ?
Triodos Green Fund has provided a loan to Compana Hondurena de Energia Solar S.A. de CV, to build a ground-mounted solar plant on a remote and rugged area in the southeast part of Honduras.
VisionFund has published their 2014 annual report together with the first social performance report.
Investisseurs & Partnaires (I&P) has recently published the handbook 'Investing in Africa's Small and Growing Businesses'
Thank you to all organisations who applied for the 6th European Microfinance Award on Microfinance in post-disaster, post-conflict areas and fragile states
Youth Financial Inclusion and Entrepreneurship Panel Session and Discussion, 24 June 2015, Paris
"More Inclusive Finance for Youth: Scalable and Sustainable Delivery Models for Financial and Non-Financial Services" has just been released by the e-MFP Youth Financial Inclusion Action Group
6th European Microfinance Award to recognise excellence in providing financial services in post-disaster, post-conflict areas and fragile states
Enhancing food security and resilience to climate change: what role for microfinance?
MicroCapital talks with Davide Forcella and Yekbun Gurgoz about the European Microfinance Award - why this theme and what sort of services would be considered
The symposium (in French) will take place 28 May in Paris on the theme of "Financing for sustainable development on the agenda for post- 2015"
See presentations and recording from the WWB webinar on 'Rebuilding in Crisis Environments: Experiences from Financial Institutions'
Don't miss the 24 May deadline for registration for the Fourth European Research Conference on Microfinance in Geneva 1-3 June.
Having been closed off for 40 years, Myanmar has undergone recent reform and is once again experiencing economic growth and is being touted as the "final frontier" by the Economist
After almost ten years of existence, Terrafina Microfinance has decided to reposition by increasing focus on agricultural microfinance
The SPTF invites you to participate in the SPTF Universal Standards for SPM Implementation Series
UMM Bachelor & Master scholarships for field missions in developing countries, 2nd Call for Applications 2015
The latest Global Findex, the world's most comprehensive gauge of progress on financial inclusion, has just been released
Preparations are underway for European Microfinance Week, 18th - 20th November 2015 and e-MFP is launching a request for proposals from its members for sessions
Check out the new e-MFP Spring Newsletter
The Global Forum on Remittances and Development (GFRD) is organized by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the World Bank and the European Commission
Registration is now open for the EMN 12th Annual Conference, 'Microfinance and banks: are we the right partners?'
Climate change and poverty reduction are probably the two major challenges of our century. Developing countries, most vulnerable to the threats of climate disruption, are the first impacted by the effects of this phenomenon manifested by natural disasters
The next UMM Workshop will take place at the University of Bergamo, Italy, 11-12 June 2015.
The new European Dialogue features the ten organisations and their projects which were shortlisted for the 2014 Award
The 2015 Impact Investing & Microfinance conference will take place 29 April 2015
WSBI in collaboration with Kenya Post Office Savings Bank (KPOSB) has carried out a study
The new European Microfinance Week 2014 conference report is now accessible online
A new UMM Thematic Paper on 'Value Chains in Agricultural and Green Microfinance' is now available
NpM, in cooperation with Achmea and Michael McCord, president of the MicroInsurance Centre, is organising a seminar on the importance of microinsurance and how to transform that into a business case
A panel session and discussion on 'Responsible Digital Finance: Global and Local Perspectives on Emerging Opportunities and Risks'
GSMA Mobile Money for the Unbanked (MMU) programme has released its 2014 State of the Industry Report on mobile financial services.
The Global Forum on Remittances and Development (GFRD) 2015 will be held in Milan on 16-19 June
A new video tutorial in three languages is now available
We invite PhD, Master and Bachelor students enrolled at universities in the European Union to submit applications to the "University Meets Microfinance" (UMM) Scholarship Program
Check out the e-MFP Winter 2014/2015 Newsletter
For third consecutive year, the e-MFP Investors in Tier 2/3 MFIs Action Group publishes their Annual Survey
e-MFP has released a new publication presenting the 3 finalists of the 5th European Microfinance Award
The Department of Banking and Finance at the University of Zurich is pleased to announce a number of executive courses for professionals in 2015
The study explains the success of digital financial services (DFS) in Kenya and presents challenges and opportunities for the development of DFS in seven other countries
Register for LinkEd development finance e-learning courses, starting on 2 March 2015
The International Fund for Agricultural Development, the World Bank Group and the European Commission are pleased to announce the upcoming Global Forum on Remittances and Development 2015 which takes place in Milan on 16-19 June
e-MFP would like to thank the over 400 participants from 56 countries who gathered at European Microfinance Week
See the videos shown at the 5th European Microfinance Award ceremony
The Fourth European Research Conference on Microfinance will take place 1st - 3rd June 2015 at the University of Geneva.
European Microfinance Week 2014, with the theme of 'Developing Better Markets' gathered over 400 opinion-leaders
Over 400 practitioners, investors, academics and support providers gather at Abbaye de Neumünster in Luxembourg to present on market-driven innovations in financial services in the global South
Congratulations to Kompanion!
European Microfinance Week (#emw2014) got underway today in Luxembourg, with this year's attention on "Developing Better Markets", a key focus to be discussed in the context of digital innovations, investment, social performance and sustainability.
The e-MFP Microfinance and Environment Action Group will present seven new products in their product catalogue series at European Microfinance Week
Launch of the 2014 Microfinance Barometer
The e-MFP Microfinance and Environment Action Group have published 'The Green Index: an innovative tool to assess the environmental performance of MFIs'.
With European Microfinance Week, 12th - 14th November, fast approaching, our media partners MicroCapital and Le Portail Microfinance
Check out the e-MFP Autumn 2014 Newsletter. Discover the 3 finalists for the European Microfinance Award and read about their innovative initiatives.
Interesting new publication from SOS Faim on green microfinance
The e-MFP Youth Financial Inclusion Action Group has launched a call for case studies for their next publication "More inclusive microfinance for youth – scalable and sustainable delivery models
Press Release: Announcing the Finalists for the 5th European Microfinance Award on Microfinance and the Environment
On the occasion of the 5th edition of the Convergences World Forum
Microfinance, or access to financial services, has an effect on the lives of the poor. This is one of the main conclusions of the extensive ING-NpM research 'A Billion to Gain?'
Incofin Investment Management's Rural Impulse Fund II (RIF II) together with Triodos Microfinance Fund (TMF) and
e-MFP's Microfinance & Environment Action Group discuss the tools they have developed
Following the successful response to the e-MFP Remittances Action Group's publication
Join Daniel Rozas and Jonathan Morduch in the 'NpM One Day Open University'
SPTF has recently released three new resources
World Politics Review has published the following article from e-MFP Board Member Hans Dieter Seibel:
The risk of client indebtedness dominates the list of concerns about the future of the microfinance industry, according to a new risk survey.
Check out e-MFP's Summer 2014 Newsletter. Read how ASKI, previous winner of the European Microfinance Award used the prize to increase their activities in support of food security.
Global experience of microfinance institutions active in remittances included in Best Practices Guide
responsAbility has just published the 2014 edition of 'Perspectives'
Created last February, the Burkina Faso based investment fund Sinergi Burkina will be officially launched on October 14th 2014 in Ouagadougou.
Is there a business case for investing in client protection?
Triple Jump investigates whether the databases of microfinance institutions (MFIs) can be mutually accessed to better understand the impact of microfinance on end-clients.
Varvara Maslova and Judith Santbergen have recently joined Triodos the Emerging Markets team as Investment Officers.
Take a look at e-MFP's Spring Newsletter. Get the background on the 5th European Microfinance Award on Microfinance and the Environment. Catch up on e-MFP's lastest news and activities.
The recent University Meets Microfinance Newsletter includes details of the UMM Awards ceremony at European Microfinance Week and information on the e-MFP UMM Action Group activities.
Luxembourg puts a strong emphasis on the importance of sustainable development through financial inclusion by bringing together key stakeholders from the public, private and civil-society sector around this common objective.
The 4th European Microfinance Research Conference will be hosted 1st - 3rd June 2015, by the University of Geneva (Geneva Finance Research Insititute) in association with the Graduate Institute, the University of Fribourg and the University of Zurich. A call for papers will be issued in May 2014.
Over the past decade, Africa has experienced unprecedented growth, with 5-6% growth rate at the continent level. However, this growth remains heterogeneous, fragile, insufficient and unevenly distributed.
CERISE has released a universal social performance assessment tool that integrates latest sector social performance standards. This newest version - SPI4 - enables its users to evaluate the level of implementation of the Universal Standards for Social Performance Management, including the Smart Campaign Client Protection Principles.
Incofin Investment Management and Frankfurt School of Finance & Management present the Report of the first EIB Rural Impulse Fund II Symposium in Africa. Through this publication, which provides insights and best cases about microfinance in the African, Caribbean and Pacific region, they wish to encourage future initiatives promoting peer-to peer-learning and financial inclusion in rural areas.
In this paper, we estimate the number of empty savings accounts at MFIs and banks in Bolivia, Nicaragua, and Pakistan, as well as in cooperatives among a mix of countries worldwide
e-MFP would like to thank the 378 participants from 59 countries who attended European Microfinance Week, 12th - 14th November 2013 in Luxembourg
If you missed the event, see the European Microfinance Week video now