MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: IFC, Global Agriculture and Food Security Program Invest $10m in Root Capital for Farmers in Africa, Latin America

The International Finance Corporation (IFC), the private-investment arm of the US-based World Bank Group, and the private-sector office of the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP), a multilateral mechanism established by the G20 group of 20 large economies, have announced that each of the organizations will invest USD 5 million in Root Capital, a US-based nonprofit social investment fund.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Maruhan Japan Bank Acquires Equity Stake in Microfinance Institution Sathapana Limited of Cambodia

Maruhan Japan Bank, a Japanese financial institution with assets of USD 123 million as of 2011, recently has completed the acquisition of a stake in Sathapana Limited, a Cambodian microfinance institution (MFI).

MICROFINANCE PUBLICATION ROUND-UP: Trends in Cross-Border Funding for Microfinance; Microinsurance Among Microcredit Groups in Tanzania; Asian Development Bank Interventions Fail to Reach Enough Poor People

Current Trends in Cross-Border Funding for Microfinance;” by Estelle Lahaye and Ralitsa Rizvanolli; published by CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor); December 2012; 4 pages; available at: http://www.cgap.org/sites/default/files/Brief-Current-Trends-in-Cross-Border-Funding-for-Microfinance-Nov-2012.pdf

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: TransferTo Partners with AT&T, Taiwan Mobile, Korvac Holdings to Allow Customers to Send, Receive Phone Airtime in the Americas and Asia

TransferTo International, a telecommunications company incorporated in Singapore, recently partnered with AT&T, a US-based telecommunications provider, to allow AT&T mobile phone subscribers in the US to execute TransferTo International Top-Ups via short message service (SMS), also known as text messaging.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Grameen Credit Agricole Microfinance Foundation (GCAMF) Loans $989k to WAGES of Togo, $445k to Azeri Star of Azerbaijan, $153k to Berendina Microfinance of Sri Lanka

Grameen Credit Agricole Microfinance Foundation (GCAMF), an organization that provides funding and financial services to microfinance institutions (MFIs) and social business projects, recently issued an AZN 350,000 (USD 445,000) loan to Azeri Star, an Azerbaijani MFI.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Bank for International Settlements Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion Conference Emphasizes Minimizing Regulation For Smaller Transactions

The Financial Stability Institute of the Bank for International Settlements (BIS), an international financial institution based in Basel, Switzerland, which aids central banks in their pursuit of monetary and financial stability, recently hosted its first Global Partnership for Financial Inclusion (GPFI) Conference with the theme “Promoting financial inclusion through proportionate standards and guidance.”

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Juntos Finanzas of California Wins $100k Mexico Financial Inclusion Competition

Juntos Finanzas, a US-based company offering mobile personal finance tools, recently was announced the winner of the 2012 Financial Inclusion Competition created at G2012 Mexico, the seventh summit of leaders from 20 large economies (G-20), and Ashoka Changemakers, an initiative of the US-based nonprofit Ashoka.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Absolute Portfolio Management Dual Return Fund Loans $2.5m to KazMicroFinance of Kazakhstan, Imon International of Tajikistan, Frontiers of Kyrgyzstan, Thaneakea Phum of Cambodia

Absolute Portfolio Management GmbH (APM), Austrian-based investment and asset management company that offers microfinance institutions (MFIs) financing and investment strategy advisory services, recently disbursed a loan of USD 1 million to KazMicroFinance (KMF), a microfinance institution (MFI) in Kazakhstan, via the Dual Return Fund, a sub-fund of Vision Microfinance created by APM that issues direct loans to MFIs in developing countries.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Absolute Dual Return-Vision Microfinance Fund Invests $3.2m in FINCA Russia, AzerCredit of Azerbaijan, Bank Constanta of Georgia, Mikrofin of Bosnia and Herzegovina

Absolute Portfolio Management GmbH (APM), an Austrian investment company that specializes in microfinance and asset management, recently disbursed USD 3.2 million in loans to microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Russia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina through a microfinance investment vehicle that it manages, the Dual Return-Vision Microfinance Fund.

MICROFINANCE EVENT: Citi, Pearson Foundations; Financial Times Host 9th Citi-FT Financial Education Summit, December 5-6, 2012, Manila, Philippines

Event Name: Financial Capability as a 21st Century Life Skill

Event Date: December 5-6, 2012

Event Location: Makati Shangri-La Hotel, Manila, Philippines

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: LeapFrog Takes 15% Stake in Mahindra Insurance Brokers for $15m in Effort to Boost Impact in Rural India

LeapFrog Investments, a for-profit private equity fund that invests in microinsurance, recently made its second investment in India in the past year by taking a 15-percent equity stake in Mahindra Insurance Brokers Limited (MIBL), an Indian insurance brokerage firm dedicated to serving rural Indians.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: 8th Annual Clinton Global Initiative: Commitments to Financial Access, Global Citizen Awards Presented

The eighth annual Clinton Global Initiative (CGI), which concluded on Wednesday, September 26, focused on the theme “Designing for Impact,” which was intended to promote the use of creativity and innovation to drive change, particularly through social investment and the empowerment of women. Approximately 150 new commitments to various projects were announced, as were progress reports for commitments made in previous years. The new commitments include:

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Smart Communications of the Philippines Partners with Mobile Money Service Provider mHIT of Australia, Microinsurance Provider BenLife

Smart Communications, a wireless service provider in the Philippines, reportedly has partnered with mHIT, an Australian mobile payment service developer and operator, to facilitate mobile money transfers and remittances for Filipinos in Australia.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Digicel, Voila Reach 5m Transactions, Receive $3.2m Award from Haiti Mobile Money Initiative

Two services of Bermuda-based mobile phone network provider Digicel Group, Tcho Tcho Mobile and Voila’s T-Cash, will share an award of USD 3.2 million from the Haiti Mobile Money Initiative (HMMI), a competition developed by the Haiti Integrated Finance for Value Chains and Enterprises (HIFIVE) incentive fund that provides prize money from the US-based Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the US Agency for International Development (USAID), a US government agency that provides international economic and humanitarian assistance.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Silatech, Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) Partner with Al-Amal Microfinance Bank, Alkuraimi Islamic Microfinance Bank to Provide Microsavings for Youth in Yemen

Silatech, a Qatar-based social enterprise, and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit GmbH (GIZ), the development agency of the German government, have partnered with Al-Amal Microfinance Bank (AMB) and Alkuraimi Islamic Microfinance Bank (AIMB), both of Yemen, to extend financial access to Yemeni youth through a microsavings program.

MICROFINANCE EVENT: Asia Insurance Review Presents “6th Asia Conference on Microinsurance: Microinsurance as a Growth Catalyst for Insurance to Reach Out to the Masses”, July 24-25, 2012, Manila, Philippines

Event Name: 6th Asia Conference on Microinsurance, “Microinsurance as a Growth Catalyst for Insurance to Reach Out to the Masses”

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: G2012 Mexico, Ashoka Changemakers Offers $100k for Winning Solution to Financial Services Access

The G2012 Mexico, the seventh summit of leaders from 20 large economies (G-20), and Ashoka Changemakers, an initiative of the US-based nonprofit Ashoka, have partnered to launch the “G2012 Mexico Financial Inclusion: Innovative Solutions for Unlocking Access” competition.