by Sarah Knapp -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: Central American organization Red Centroamericana de Microfinanzas (REDCAMIF) hosts the 4th Central American Microfinance Conference in Guatemala City to Discuss Competition in Microfinance

4th CENTRAL AMERICAN MICROFINANCE CONFERENCE

AUGUST 27-19 2008 EL CENTRO DE CONVENCIONES IN GUATEMALA CITY, GUATEMALA

The Red Centroamericana de Microfinanzas (REDCAMIF), a regional organization that aims to encourage institutional start up and transformation in microfinance, will host the fourth Central American Microfinance Conference in August 2008. The theme of the conference is Competitive Microfinance Institutions with a Social Impact, which will discuss the competitiveness of microfinance, how to create a competitive environment and how competitive institutions relate to social impact. The agenda outlines the conference in detail.

by Sarah Knapp -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: CGAP and the Munich Re Foundation’s Fourth International Microinsurance Conference Will be Held in Cartegana Colombia to Discuss Current Challenges and Practical Innovations in Microinsurance

MICROINSURANCE CONFERENCE 2008

NOVEMBER 5-7 2008, CENTRO DE CONVENCIONES Y EXPOSICIONES IN CARTAGENA, COLOMBIA

The Microinsurance Conference 2008 will facilitate panel discussions, working groups and plenary sessions to explore the limits and opportunities of the microinsurance sector. It will focus specifically on technology, innovation, capacity building and regulation, exploring areas such as agriculture, health and risk management. Sessions will be based on practical experiences and global examples from places such as Pakistan, South Africa and Peru. The conference will be conducted in English. Spanish translation will be available.

by Sarah Knapp -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: The International Disaster and Risk Conference (IDRC) 2008 to be Held in Davos Switzerland will Explore Microfinance as a Tool for Disaster and Risk Management

INTERNATIONAL DISASTER AND RISK CONFERENCE (IDRC) DAVOS 2008

AUGUST 25-29, 2008, DAVOS, SWITZERLAND

The International Disaster and Risk Conference (IDRC), titled “Public-private partnership – Key for integral risk management and climate change adaptation”, will address the use of microfinance as a tool for risk management and disaster and hold special sessions focusing on microfinance. The conference is themed around exploring strategic responses and methods of risk management in response to threats and disasters such as natural hazards, climate change, pandemics and terrorism. Throughout the conference, and in a special session entitled Microinsurance in Risk Management, microfinance specifically will be focused on as a method to cope with risks and promote economic and social recovery. IDRC will discuss microfinance’s current role in risk management as well as future opportunities in using microfinance and microinsurance as tools for disaster and risk management.

by Anthony Busch -

MICROCAPITAL EVENT: The Boulder Institute of Microfinance (BI) and the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) in the United Kingdom to Offer a Five-day Training Program Entitled “Integrating Microfinance in Development” at the University of Sussex

Integrating Microfinance in Development

September 1-5, 2008, University of Sussex, Brighton, United Kingdom

The Boulder Institute of Microfinance (BI), a nonprofit organization which grew out of microfinance training programs initiated in 1995, and the Institute of Development Studies (IDS), a research organization connected with the University of Sussex, will jointly host “Integrating Microfinance in Development,” a training program designed to educate practitioners involved in a wide range of development fields on the principles of a sustainable microfinance program and how to incorporate it in their operations.

by Anthony Busch -

MICROCAPITAL EVENT: The School of Applied Microfinance (SAM) in Kenya to Hold Annual Training Program Designed for Managers and Consultants of Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) in Africa, the Middle East, and the Indian Sub-continent

Practical Skills and Tools for Microfinance Managers & Consultants

September 8-19, 2008, Sarova Whitesands Beach Resort & Spa, Mombasa, Kenya

Incorporated in Nairobi, Kenya, the School of Applied Microfinance (SAM) will hold its annual two-week training program in September, which will focus on capacity building for employees and partners of microfinance institutions (MFIs) located in Africa, the Middle East, and the Indian Sub-continent. The curriculum will include daily plenary presentations on macro issues such as e-banking’s effect on microfinance and the ongoing commercialization of the sector. Each day, the plenary presentations will be followed by two technical training sessions chosen by the participants from a list of 14 topics. The technical training sessions, which are all still open according to SAM’s web site, will include subjects such as Process Mapping, Product Costing, Customer Service, and Corporate Branding & Identity. Each session is one week in duration and participants can choose no more than four. Finally, participants will make presentations and hold discussions on case studies from their own MFIs in the evenings.

by the MicroCapital Team -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: A Discussion of the Women’s World Banking Study “Stemming the Tide of Mission Drift”

THE IMPACT OF COMMERCIALIZATION ON WOMEN MICROFINANCE CLIENTS

JUNE 24, 2008, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES

Women Advancing Microfinance – New York (WAM-NY) and Women’s World Banking (WWB) are hosting this opportunity to learn about and discuss the findings of WWB’s “landmark” study of mission drift among microfinance institutions that transform from NGOs into regulated financial institutions.

by Anthony Busch -

MICROCAPITAL EVENT: The Frankfurt School of Finance and Management (FSFM) to Offer Annual Micro Banking Summer Academy (MBSA) for Managers of Microfinance Institutions (MFIs)

Micro Banking Summer Academy

August 22 – September 5, 2008, Frankfurt School of Finance and Management, Bad Homburg and Frankfurt, Germany

The Frankfurt School of Finance and Management (FSFM), previously known as Bankakademie, will hold its annual Micro Banking Summer Academy (MBSA) in August and September. Meant for managers of microfinance institutions (MFIs), the MBSA will be comprised of three sessions. The first will be an introductory weekend course entitled “Microfinance Principles” (August 22nd – 24th) designed for new practitioners and as a refresher for more experienced managers. Topics covered will include microfinance best practice, operational principles of MFIs, loan management, and financial performance. The first weekend agenda can be found here.

by Ryan Benson -

MICROCAPITAL STORY: Bangladesh-based ASA to Allocate Funds from Historic $150m Equity Deal Toward Microlending Outside Bangladesh

ASA International, a holding company managed and partially owned by ASA, one of Bangladesh’s largest NGOs, has announced it will use USD $150 million of equity raised from foreign investors to expand commercial lending outside Bangladesh.

by the MicroCapital Team -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: Fifth European Microfinance Network (EMN) Annual Conference to Be Held in France, September 2008

FIFTH EUROPEAN MICROFINANCE NETWORK ANNUAL CONFERENCE

SEPTEMBER 8 – SEPTEMBER 10, 2008, NICE, FRANCE

This event, subtitled “Microfinance: A tool for growth and employment in Europe” will gather bankers, researchers, practitioners, investors, local government and European Commission representatives, policy makers, the private sector and the media. The conference is co-organised by the European Microfinance Network (EMN) and nonprofit Adie and is sponsored by the European Commission and Crédit Coopératif. Key elements of the event are to include sessions co-organised with banking thinktank Eurofi and discussion of the recent “European Initiative for the Development of Microcredit in Support of Growth and Employment” of the European Union.

by the MicroCapital Team -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: Making Finance Work for Africa Meeting in Ghana in June

MAKING FINANCE WORK FOR AFRICA – PARTNERSHIP MEETING

JUNE 17 – JUNE 18, 2008, ACCRA, GHANA

The Partnership for Making Finance Work for Africa is an initiative to support the efforts of African countries to accelerate economic growth and reduce poverty. This event is to inlcude:

by Anthony Busch -

MICROCAPITAL EVENT: The John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum (JFK Library) Will Host a Conversation with Microfinance Pioneer, Dr. Muhammad Yunus

A Conversation with 2006 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Dr. Muhammad Yunus

2:30 PM – 4:30 PM, June 7, 2008, John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum, Boston, Massachusetts

As a part of its series of public affairs forums, the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library and Museum (JFK Library) will host Dr. Muhammad Yunus for a discussion about his book, Creating a World Without Poverty: Social Business and the Future of Capitalism to be moderated by Dr. Lincoln C. Chen, the founder of the Global Equity Initiative (GEI) at Harvard University and a Commissioner at the Commission on Human Security (CHS). The event will include a question and answer session with the audience followed by a book signing. The forum is free and open to the public and registration is required to guarantee a seat. Those interested may register online or by calling +1 (617) 514-1643.

by Emily Liu -

MICROCAPITAL STORY: Asian-Pacific Members of World Savings Bank Institute (WSBI) of Belgium and Korea Federation of Savings Banks (KFSB) Commit to Improving Microfinance Services in Korea and Asia-Pacific Region

Asian-Pacific members of the World Savings Bank Institute (WSBI), an association of retail and savings banks located in 92 countries, have committed to improving microfinance services and giving poor people greater access to financial services.  The agreement was part of the Seoul Resolution, adopted at the 14th annual meeting of WSBI members in the Asian-Pacific region.  About 150 delegates from 10 countries and 16 savings banks participated in the meeting.

by Ryan Benson -

MICROCAPITAL STORY: Code of Ethics Proposed for Microfinance

At the Microfinance Leaders Retreat, a meeting to discuss the future development of microfinance, leaders of microfinance institutions, investment organizations and development agencies agreed that a code of ethics aimed at guiding lending practices of microfinance institutions should be established.

by the MicroCapital Team -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: Women Advancing Microfinance (WAM) Hosts Youth Microfinance Discussion with Annie Bertrand of Mercy Corps

EFFECTIVE FINANCIAL SERVICES TO ADDRESS THE YOUTH BULGE

MAY 29, 2008, NEW YORK, UNITED STATES

Women Advancing Microfinance New York (WAM-NY) is hosting a discussion on youth microfinance with Annie Bertrand, World Youth Initiative Advisor at Mercy Corps. In collaboration with the World Bank, Mercy Corps is working with its 12 affiliated microfinance institutions to identify best practices and key success factors which can be replicated at scale. Annie will share preliminary findings and open the discussion for questions and ideas.