Incofin, an investment management firm based in Belgium, recently launched a technical assistance project for Solidarité pour la Production et la Commercialisation des Produits Industriels et Vivriers (SOPROCOPIV), a coffee cooperative in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The goal is to help SOPROCOPIV become certified by Germany’s Fairtrade International by
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MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: YCash Partnering with Red Cross on Digital Payments, Offering Door-to-door Service Due to COVID-19 Pandemic, Conflict in Yemen
YCash, a company in Yemen also known as the National Cash Transfer Company, recently partnered with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), a humanitarian organization based in Switzerland, to provide cash transfers to ICRC clients “through
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: BankIslami, TPL Life Offering Shariah-compliant Hospitalization, Funeral Coverage for COVID-19 in Pakistan
BankIslami, an institution offering Shariah-compliant financial services in Pakistan, recently partnered with TPL Life, a digital insurance technology firm controlled by Pakistan’s Habib Bank Limited (HBL), to offer coverage for people in case they become ill with COVID-19. The package pays up to: (1) PKR 30,000 (USD 195) upon diagnosis; (2) additional funding of an unspecified amount should the patient be hospitalized; and (3) funeral expenses up to
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Amen Bank of Tunisia Borrows $17m from Sanad for On-lending to MSMEs Adjusting to COVID-19 Pandemic
Tunisia’s Amen Bank recently accepted a senior loan of EUR 14 million (USD 16.7 million) from the Luxembourg-domiciled Sanad Fund for MSME. Via its 160 branches, Amen Bank is to on-lend the funds to
MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: “Evidence Review of Women’s Groups and COVID-19: Impacts, Challenges, and Policy Implications for Savings Groups in Africa;” by Eva Namisango et al
This brief offers evidence on how COVID-19 has affected women’s savings groups in sub-Saharan Africa – with a specific focus on Nigeria and Uganda – including how these groups have helped to “mitigate the pandemic’s negative consequences.” In a savings group, members pool their savings, lend out these funds and share the resulting profits. In addition to
MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: “Crisis Roadmap for Microfinance Institutions: COVID-19 and Beyond,” by Julie Abrams, Published by CGAP
The author structures this publication as an 11-step “roadmap” for microfinance institutions (MFIs) to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic and its economic impacts as well as to develop resilience going forward.
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: CBN Adds $120m to COVID-19 Pandemic Relief Fund for Loans to MSMEs, Households in Nigeria
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) recently announced the addition of NGN 50 billion (USD 120 million) to its Targeted Credit Facility, a stimulus program for micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) as well as households affected by the pandemic. The funding will be disbursed through NIRSAL Microfinance Bank, which is minority-owned by CBN’s Nigerian Incentive-based Risk Sha
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Equity Bank Secures $144m from EIB, EU to Support Agriculture, SMEs in Kenya in Responding to COVID-19 Pandemic
Equity Bank (Kenya) Limited, a member of the Equity Bank Group, recently secured EUR 100 million (USD 120 million) from the EU’s European Investment Bank (EIB) for on-lending to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The EU Ambassador to Kenya, Simon Mordue, said,
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: ATL Secures $12m from Sanad for SME Leasing in Tunisia During COVID-19 Pandemic
Tunisia-based Arab Tunisian Lease (ATL) recently secured a senior loan of EUR 10 million (USD 12 million) from Sanad Fund for MSME, a Luxembourg-domiciled investor in lenders to micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), for
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Google, Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Invest $12m in Locfund Next to Support Small Businesses in Latin America, Caribbean in Responding to COVID-19
Locfund Next, a debt fund managed by BIM Asset Management, recently received an investment of USD 8 million from US-based technology firm Google as part of USD 200 million Google has committed to support organizations that
MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: “COVID-19 and Cyber Risk in the Financial Sector;” by Iñaki Aldasoro, Jon Frost, Leonardo Gambacorta, David Whyte; Published by BIS
To protect the health of their workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, financial institutions have largely shifted their employees to working from home (WFH), increasing various cyber risks. During a two-month period early in the pandemic, “the use of remote access technologies such as the remote desktop protocol (RDP) and virtual private network (VPN)” increased by 41 percent and 33 percent, respectively. The authors posit
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Mexico, Morocco Report Increases in Remittances Despite Dire Predictions Due to COVID-19 Pandemic
Residents of Mexico and Morocco received more in remittances from family members living abroad during most of 2020 versus 2019. This despite predictions from sources including the World Bank that the COVID-19 pandemic would cause global remittances to decrease 20 percent “due to a fall in the wages and emplo
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: EIB to Loan $517m to Banque Misr of Egypt to Fund SMEs During COVID-19 Pandemic
The European Investment Bank (EIB), the EU’s long-term lending institution, recently agreed to provide a line of credit in the amount of EUR 425 million (USD 517 million) to Banque Misr
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: CARD MRI to Borrow Up to $15m from IFC, Mainly to Support Women’s MSMEs During COVID-19 Pandemic
The International Finance Corporation, the private-investment arm of the World Bank Group, recently agreed to provide up to PHP 750 million (USD 15 million) of debt financing to the Center for Agriculture and Rural Development – Mutually Reinforcing Institutions Group (CARD MRI) to support micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The investment
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Equity Bank Kenya Secures $50m Nasira Loan Guarantee from FMO for COVID-19 Support to Agricultural MSMEs Led by Youth, Women
Equity Bank Kenya, a Kenya-based bank focused on micro-, small and medium-sized enterprise (MSME), recently signed an agreement with Nederlandse Financierings-Maatschappij voor Ontwikkelingslanden (FMO), a Dutch development bank, whereby FMO’s Nasira Risk Sharing Facility will guarantee USD 50 million in lending by Equity Bank Kenya. This lending is meant to help agricultural MSMEs run by female and young entrepreneurs
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Nasira Guaranteeing $35m in Digital Lending by Sasfin to SMEs Owned by Migrants, Women, Youth in South Africa from Emergency COVID-19 Facility Funded by EU, FMO
The Netherlands Development Finance Company, a public-private partnership also known by its Dutch acronym FMO, recently selected Sasfin Bank of South Africa to be the first beneficiary of an emergency risk-sharing facility intended to counter the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. The facility is part of FMO’s Nasira fund, which guarantees bank loans to
MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: AFD Loans $356m to IFAD to Assist Rural Farmers in Developing Sustainable Agriculture, Accessing Microfinance, Fighting Hunger, Responding to Climate Change, Enduring COVID-19 Pandemic
Agence Française de Développement (AFD), the overseas development agency of the French government, recently loaned EUR 300 million (USD 356 million) to the UN’s International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) to assist small-scale rural farmers in developing nations. The funds are intended for managing natural resources,
SPECIAL REPORT: Minimizing Setbacks for Women, Girls Under COVID-19; Taking Advantage of the Pandemic to Liberalize Regulation, Boost Access to Digital Financial Services
Mary 
Ellen Iskenderian of the US-based NGO Women’s World Banking (WWB) spoke today, the closing day of European Microfinance Week, about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on women and girls. Of the challenges they face, she said “COVID didn’t create these gaps, but it shines a bright light on the fissures, and we don’t want to see these grow larger.” As an example, she cited the strides made in recent years in terms of enrolling girls in primary education. She called this the single most powerful tool for creating development impact. However, one of the first things she has seen families in developing countries doing in response to COVID-19 is taking their daughters out of school.
On the positive side, Ms Iskenderian noted “a silver lining, that