Abhijit Vinayak Banerjee and Esther Duflo of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and Dean Karlan of Yale University of Connecticut have written an editorial for the New York Times entitled “The Role of Microfinance” [1].
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MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Microfinance Focus Article Describes 2009 as “Watershed” Year in Microfinance Due to a Surge in Private Equity Investment
A Microfinance Focus article by Asma Azmi has described 2009 as a “watershed” year for microfinance in India due to a surge in private equity investment [1].
KNOW A MICROFINANCE FUND: P.T. Usaha Karya Bina Mandiri (PT UKABIMA), Omidyar LLC, Partners for the Common Good (PCG), PROFUND
The following microfinance funds are detailed in this brief:
MICROCAPITAL EVENT: M-Commerce World Summit 2010, March 16-19, 2010, Shangri-La Hotel, Singapore
Event Name: M-Commerce World Summit 2010
Event Date: Conference March 17-18, 2010; Pre-Conference March 16, 2009; Post-Conference March 19, 2009
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Mercy Corps, a Global Relief and Development Organization, Fosters Long-Term Recovery in Tsunami-affected Aceh, Indonesia, through Microfinance
Mercy Corps, a global relief organization, has recently transitioned Aceh, Indonesia, from short-term emergency relief to long-term recovery through microfinance and microcredit solutions. The organization was initially involved in delivering emergency items, including food, hygiene supplies and building materials to the devastated coastal region of Aceh, Indonesia, in the wake of the massive earthquake on December 26, 2004, and the ensuing tsunami that destroyed cities across 13 countries and killed almost 230,000 people. [1]
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Experts See Mobile Money Hitting $200b by 2012
At the recent Mobile Money Transfer Asia Pacific conference in Manila, a representative of consulting firm Edgar Dunn predicted that global mobile banking will reach 364 million low-income people and will be worth USD 202 billion by 2012, according to a recent Philippine Star article. Sixty percent of that activity is expected to occur in Asia, with China and India joining the Philippines as leaders in the region.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Intellecap’s 2009 Srijan Awards Go to Arohan, Grama Vidiyal, Sahayata Microfinance, Vortex Engineering
Intellecap, an Indian consulting firm, recently gave its Srijan 2009 Microfinance Awards to the following institutions:
KNOW A MICROFINANCE FUND: Kinnevik, Locfund, Lok Capital LLC, Legatum Ventures
The following microfinance investment funds are profiled in this brief:
KNOW A MICROFINANCE FUND: Hivos-Triodos Fund (HTF), Incofin Rural Impulse Fund (RIF), Incofin VDK MFI Loan Portfolio, ACCION Latin America Bridge Fund (LABF)
The following microfinance investment funds are profiled in this brief:
Hivos-Triodos Fund (HTF)
https://www.microcapital.org/microfinanceuniverse/tiki-index.php?page=Hivos-Triodos+Fund+%28HTF%29
Incofin Rural Impulse Fund (RIF)
https://www.microcapital.org/microfinanceuniverse/tiki-index.php?page=Incofin+Rural+Impulse+Fund+%28RIF%29
Incofin VDK MFI Loan Portfolio
https://www.microcapital.org/microfinanceuniverse/tiki-index.php?page=Incofin+VDK+MFI+Loan+Portfolio
ACCION Latin America Bridge Fund (LABF)
https://www.microcapital.org/microfinanceuniverse/tiki-index.php?page=ACCION+Latin+America+Bridge+Fund+%28LABF%29
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Alitheia Capital, Goodwell Investments BV and JCS Investments Announce First Close of $60m Equity Fund for Microfinance in Nigeria and Ghana
Alitheia Capital, Goodwell Investments BV and JCS Investments have announced the first close of a USD 60 million equity fund focused on microfinance in Nigeria and Ghana. Investors include Dutch development bank FMO and a number of Dutch high net-worth individuals and institutional investors. Further financial details have not been released.
KNOW A MICROFINANCE FUND: FRONTIERS, Global Partnerships Microfinance Fund, Goodwell, Grameen Credit Agricole Microfinance Fund
The following microfinance investment funds are profiled in this brief:
FRONTIERS
https://www.microcapital.org/microfinanceuniverse/tiki-index.php?page=FRONTIERS
Global Partnerships Microfinance Fund
Goodwell
https://www.microcapital.org/microfinanceuniverse/tiki-index.php?page=Goodwell
Grameen Credit Agricole Microfinance Fund
MICROCAPITAL EVENT: MicroInsurance Summit 2010: Evaluating Stategies for Delivery, Partner-Agent Models and Scalability, February 23-25, 2010, Le Meridien Piccadilly, London
Event Name: MicroInsurance Summit 2010: Evaluating Stategies for Delivery, Partner-Agent Models and Scalability
Event Date: February 23-25, 2010
Event Location: Le Meridien Piccadilly, London
Event Website: http://www.hansonwade.com/events/microinsurance-summit-2010/index.shtml
See Our Comprehensive Event Calendar Here:
http://microfinanceassociation.ning.com/events
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: LeapFrog Invests $6.8m in AllLife, a South African HIV and Diabetes Microinsurer
LeapFrog Investments, a for-profit, private equity microinsurance fund, has invested ZAR 50 million (USD 6.8 million) in AllLife, a South African insurer for people with HIV and diabetes. AllLife provides life insurance only to those who follow an appropriate health monitoring and treatment program, enabling it to maintain more competitively priced coverage. Mr. Ross Beerman, Managing Director of AllLife said: “These are potential policyholders, willing to pay for reasonably priced insurance and willing to take steps to manage their disease so that they lead long and productive lives. From a business risk and profitability perspective, of course they’re insurable – we simply had to invent systems to monitor and support them in the right ways.”
MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: Insurance in Developing Countries: Exploring Opportunities in Microinsurance, by Lloyd’s 360 Risk Insight and MicroInsurance Centre L.L.C.
Published by Lloyd’s 360 Risk Insight and the MicroInsurance Centre in November 2009, 38 pages, available at: http://www.lloyds.com/NR/rdonlyres/5CFE7CAF-0075-415C-B0F2-BEBF0323059E/0/Microinsurancereport_Nov2009.pdf
Produced by Lloyd’s, an insurance and reinsurance market, and the MicroInsurance Centre, a consulting and advocacy company, this report describes the current landscape of microinsurance and lays out the means and benefits of entering this emerging market.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: German Development Bank ‘KfW’ Provides $2.1m to Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) to Loan to SKS Microfinance to Provide Loans to Low-Income Women for Home Improvement
KfW, the German Development Bank, The Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC), an Indian mortgage lender, and SKS Microfinance, an Indian microfinance institution (MFI), have entered an agreement to provide loans for home improvement to, primarily, low-income women [1,2,3]. Under a “special agreement,” KfW will provide HDFC with the funds for the project [1]. For the first tranche of funding, KfW will provide HDFC with INR 10 Crore, the equivalent of over USD 2.1 million, to loan to SKS [1]. In turn, SKS will loan to borrowers that have had at least three years of “good credit history” with the MFI [1]. Further details on the arrangement between KfW and HDFC – such as whether the financing is a grant or loan – have not been made public. The companies have indicated that the loans will mainly be extended for the improvement of homes that also serve as a site of an “income generating activity” [1]. Loan sizes will range from INR 50,000, the equivalent of over USD 1,080, to INR 150,000, the equivalent of over USD 3,240 [1]. Borrowers will have three to five years to repay the loans [1]. The interest rate will be 21 percent fixed on a reducing basis [1]. Renu Sud Karnad, the managing director of HDFC, has indicated that there will be more funding for the program in the future [1].
MICROFINANCE EVENT: Srijan Microfinance Forum & Awards 2009 on December 8, 2009 by Intellecap and Standard Chartered PLC
Event Name: Srijan Microfinance Forum & Awards 2009
Event Description: This event functions primarily as a forum to discuss social versus commercial aspects of microfinance and highlight innovative technologies utilized in providing financial services for the poor. It also includes awards which recognize successful financial models and practitioners in the sector that have been able to make a social impact on rural communities.
KNOW A MICROFINANCE FUND: Elevar Equity II
Overview:
Elevar Equity II provides equity to microfinance institutions (MFIs) and companies in developing economies.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: ACCION Cleared to Invest in Brazil’s Microfinance Sector
ACCION International has reportedly received approval from President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva to operate in Brazil. The US-based nonprofit will be allowed to hold 99 percent of the Brazilian operations of its Gateway Fund, which holds shares in microfinance institutions in Bolivia, Colombia, El Salvador, Haiti, India, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru and Venezuela.