by Bharathi Ram - Events -

MICROCAPITAL EVENT: Financing the Poor – Moving Beyond Inclusion: First Annual Global Conclave of Microfinance Connect to be held in New Delhi, India on April 29, 2009

First Annual Global Conclave of Microfinance Connect

April 29, 2009, New Delhi, India

Microfinance Connect will conduct its first annual global conclave in New Delhi, India on April 29, 2009. The day long event will focus on the theme: ‘Financing the Poor – Moving Beyond Inclusion’. The basis and theme of the event is based on the argument that microfinance as a tool for reducing poverty needs a shift in focus from just ‘inclusion’ to a more holistic framework that monitors and addresses the ‘outcomes and impact’ of microfinance products and services. The attempt of the conference is to channel stakeholder attention to these key issues and to provide a global platform to showcase endeavors/ accomplishments towards understanding and enhancing the outcome and impact of microfinance.

MicroFinance Connect invites banks and financial institutions, Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), apex bodies and networks, advocacy and support institutions, researchers and students to participate in this event. No information on the registration fee is available.

The event agenda includes:

  • Presentations of key assessment methodologies in microfinance
  • Discussions on past attempts, issues and impediments in enhancing the impact of microfinance
  • Presentation on the objectives and activities of the Global Microfinance Impact Alliance, an alliance formed by Microfinance Connect bringing together a wide range of players from banks, financial institutions, government, regulators, microfinance institutions (MFIs) and other support institutions. The objectives of the alliance include developing an understanding of methods to assess the impact of microfinance and helping microfinance service providers in assessing the financial aspects for measuring impact. For more details on the alliance, please click here.

The event will also feature photographs/ audio/ video documentaries focusing on the impact of microfinance operations in the field. In this regard, the organizers of the event invite interested participants to forward relevant communication material in the form of photos, short films, documentaries, radio discussions and other forms of documentation for showcasing in the event. The last date for submission of entries is 31st March, 2009.

The flyer for the showcase of photo/ audio/ video documentaries is available here. For further details and the application form, please email Aparupa Negi at aparupa@microfinanceconnect.com.

In addition, the event will also feature the presentation of its first Global Microfinance Impact Award 2009 to recognize and reward MFIs across the globe that have client focused systems and give due emphasis to monitoring and enhancing the outcomes and impact of their operations. The organizers invite eligible MFIs across the globe to send nominations for the award. The eligibility criteria for the MFIs are as follows:

  • The MFI/NGO/microfinance operations institution should be directly engaged in the delivery of microfinance products and services.
  • The Institution must be in existence for at least 3 years
  • The Institution should be registered as a legal entity.

The last date for submission of nominations is March 31, 2009. The flyer for this contest can be downloaded here.

For further details on the award and the application form, interested MFIs are requested to contact the Conclave Secretariat, Aparupa Negi at aparupa@microfinanceconnect.com

or +91-9313993848; +91-11-40560734, 6549250

General inquires and registration queries can be directed to:

Aparupa Negi

Secretariat

Global Microfinance Connect Conclave

O-2, II floor, Lajpat Nagar – II

New Delhi – 110024, India

+91-9313993848; +91-11-40560734, 6549250

aparupa@microfinanceconnect.com; connect@microfinanceconnect.com

Microfinance Connect is a privately held knowledge management organization based in New Delhi, India. Its services are primarily focused towards the following:

  • Promoting communication within the microfinance sector and outside through its web portal www.microfinanceconnect.com. This provides a knowledge management platform showcasing news, events, discussions and issues in the microfinance sector in addition to providing a database of financial and social performance of microfinance institutions along with indicators on client level impact
  • Mainstreaming impact at the beneficiary level: Microfinance Connect has two initiatives towards this objective namely an assessment methodology called MIRACLe developed by Microfinance Connect and the Global Microfinance Impact Alliance. For more information on the tool MIRACLe, please click here.
  • Business Analysis and Advisory to MFIs: The organization provides solutions to meet the needs of MFIs in the areas of standardizing business process, building capacities, understanding the client group, identifying right product, service and methodologies. Microfinance Connect provides capacity building services to MFIs through customized/retail trainings and other services through consultative research.

For an exhaustive list of the member organizations of Microfinance Connect, please click here. Information on the executive team at Microfinance Connect can be found here. As of now, no financial information on Microfinance Connect is publicly available.

The event is co-sponsored by MicroFinance Connect’s parent company Sambodhi Research and Communication Pvt. Ltd. which is a research, consulting and analytical support organization based in India. To view the event website, please click here.

By Bharathi Ram, Research Assistant

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