by Makai McClintock -

MICROFINANCE PUBLICATION ROUND-UP: Financing Africa, Social Performance Indicators for Microinsurance, Segmentation of Agricultural Households

“Financing Africa Through the Crisis and Beyond;” by Thorsten Beck, Samuel Munzele Maimbo, Issa Faye and Thouraya Triki; published by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ), World Bank Group, African Development Bank; 2013; 322 pages; available at: http://www.afdb.org/fileadmin/uploads/afdb/Documents/Publications/Financing%20Africa%20Through%20the%20Crisis%20and%20Beyond.pdf

This book presents a review of trends in Africa’s financial sector in the context of Africa’s past economic development trends and broader historical background.

by Samuel Allmendinger -

MICROFINANCE PUBLICATION ROUND-UP: Microfinance and Patriarchy, Connecting the World’s Poorest People to the Global Economy, “Best Practices” in Serving Small Businesses

“Microfinance and Patriarchy: A Drift Away from Serving Women;” published by Knowledge @ Wharton; 2013; 3 pages; available at: http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/createpdf.cfm?articleid=3169

This report highlights the importance of gender equality in the provision of microfinance and focuses on the negative impacts of patriarchal attitudes on lending practices.

by Lena Phillips -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: AITEC Financial Services and Investment Options for a Secure Future, February 14-16, 2013, Nairobi, Kenya

Event Name: The African Information & Communication Technology Exhibition & Conference (AITEC) Finance for Your Future 2013: Financial Services and Investment Options for a Secure Future

Event Date: February 14-16, 2013

Event Location: Nairobi, Kenya

by Sarah Benali -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: FirstRand Bank of South Africa Receives $300m Line of Credit from African Development Bank (AfDB)

The African Development Bank (AfDB), a multilateral institution that provides loans and grants to governments and private companies in Africa, recently approved a seven-year line of credit in the amount of USD 300 million to FirstRand Limited, a financial service provider based in South Africa that operates in seven African countries.

by Sarah Benali -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: International Finance Corporation (IFC) Launching Business Edge Training Program in South Sudan

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), an arm of the World Bank Group, recently agreed to expand its Business Edge training program, which was launched in 2002, to South Sudan in an effort to aid small businesses within the country.

by Charlotte Newman -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: African Development Bank (AfDB) Microfinance Capacity Building Fund (MCBF) Offering up to $500k per Institution

The African Development Bank (AfDB), a multilateral institution that provides loans and grants to governments and private companies in Africa, recently announced its second call for proposals for the Microfinance Capacity Building Fund (MCBF), which was launched by AfDB and the government of Spain to expand the outreach of the African financial sector.

by Charlotte Newman -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: LendmeMula, eTranzact, ZimSwitch to Offer Access to Credit via MulaConnect Card

British payday lender Lendme Limited reportedly has partnered with eTranzact, a Nigeria-based mobile money service provider, to offer clients in Zimbabwe immediate access to funds that they borrow from the LendmeMula service.

by Charlotte Newman -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Incofin’s Rural Impulse Fund II Loans $2.6m to Kenya Women Finance Trust, Incofin Investment Management to Finance Technical Assistance Project for AB Bank Zambia

The Kenya Women Finance Trust (KWFT), a Kenyan deposit-taking microfinance institution (MFI), recently received a EUR 2 million (USD 2.6 million) loan from Incofin’s Rural Impulse Fund (RIF) II, a Belgian microfinance investment vehicle (MIV).

by Emilia Akonom -

MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: “Women are Useful to Microfinance: How Can We Make Microfinance Be More Useful to Women”, Workshop paper at 2011 Global Microcredit Summit

By Dr. Linda Mayoux, Consultant for Hivos and Oxfam Novib UK, November 2011, 20 pages, available at: http://www.genfinance.info/documents/MyPubs/Women%20are%20Useful%20to%20Microfinance_final.pdf

This report introduces methods for promoting women’s empowerment as a strategy for increasing the long-term financial sustainability of microfinance institutions (MFIs). It introduces points of entry for gender equality and empowerment as well as innovation in policies, product design, non-financial services, customer protection, regulations and gender indicators in social performance management and management information systems.

by Natalie Baer -

MICROFINANCE PUBLICATION ROUND-UP: Indian Microfinance, Treating Colombian Clients with Respect, and Expanding Microinsurance

“Indian Microfinance: Looking Beyond the AP Act and its Devastating Impact on the Poor;” published by Legatum Ventures; March 2012; 17 pages; available at: http://www.legatumventures.com/

by Ariana Malushi -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: Aiden Business Solutions Hosts “2nd Annual Africa Banking & Finance Conference – ABFC 2012” in Nairobi, Kenya, March 6 and March 7, 2012

Event Name: 2nd Annual Africa Banking & Finance Conference – ABFC 2012

Event Date: March 6 and March 7, 2012

Event Location: Crowne Plaza Hotel, Nairobi, Kenya

by Nisha Koul -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: “Nokia Money” Electronic Wallet Service Launched in India in Effort to Promote Financial Inclusion

Nokia Corporation, a Finnish telecommunications company, has launched Nokia Money, an electronic-wallet service, in an effort to promote financial inclusion of previously “underbanked” people across India [1].

by Kristha Abores -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor) Hosts Virtual Conference “Understanding Multiple Borrowing and Avoiding Over-indebtedness Among Clients,” January 12 and 13, 2012

Event Name: Understanding Multiple Borrowing and Avoiding Over-indebtedness Among Clients

Event Date: January 12 – 13, 2012

Event Location: Online

by Nisha Koul -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: MicroEnsure to Offer Microinsurance in Kenya Using M-Pesa, FrontlineSMS:Credit Technology

The Kenyan office of MicroEnsure, a subsidiary of US-based microfinance network Opportunity International, is employing M-Pesa, a mobile money service in Kenya, and FrontlineSMS:Credit, a nonprofit software provider specializing in mobile financial services, to offer microinsurance policies independent of savings and credit groups.

by Carol Kim -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Clinton Global Initiative (CGI) 2011 Annual Meeting Occurring on September 20 – 22 Includes Haiti Investment Workshop

Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), an effort established by former US President Bill Clinton in 2005 to bring together a community of global leaders to alleviate poverty, create a cleaner environment and increase access to health care and education, is holding its 2011 Annual Meeting in New York City, US, from September 20 to September 22, 2011.