MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Trickle Up, Provider of Grants, Microfinance, Training, Announces Release of Documentary Film “The Test of Poverty”

Trickle Up, an international poverty alleviation organization based in the US, has announced the release of its documentary film, “The Test of Poverty,” which covers poverty’s effects on those living on less than USD 1.25 a day and the services that can help alleviate those effects.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) Launches Online Training Sessions

Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX), a global, web-based microfinance information platform established in 2002, has announced the initiation of online training sessions on MIX Market, MIX’s database providing financial and social performance information on microfinance institutions, funders and service providers.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) Releases the 20th Edition of the MicroBanking Bulletin (September 2010 Issue)

Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX), the microfinance information clearinghouse, recently released its 20th edition of the MicroBanking Bulletin (MBB), which includes “2006-2008 MFI Trendline Benchmarks”, highlighting trends in the microfinance industry using data from 611 microfinance institutions (MFIs).

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Executive Director Reflects on Past and Future of the Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX)

On the occasion of his first anniversary with the organization, Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) Executive Director Marten Leijon reflects on the past and future of MIX, discussing priorities such as transparency, innovation and increased collaboration for information exchange.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Floods Cause $31m in Damage to 86 Branches of Pakistan’s Microfinance Institutions

According to participants at a recent roundtable in Islamabad organized by the Pakistan Microfinance Network (PMN), the International Finance Corporation (IFC) and CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor), last month’s floods in Pakistan caused PKR 2.7 billion (the equivalent of USD 31.4 million) in damage to 86 branches of the country’s microfinance institutions.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Social Investors Investigate Criteria for Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Performance of Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), Triple Jump, Oikocredit Hold Meeting to Mull Harmonization of ESG Evaluation

The Social Investor Working Group on Tool Sharing and Harmonization, a group born out of the Social Investor Group meeting in Bern in June 2010, where approximately 40 investors representing about half of total assets under management in the microfinance sector met to discuss socially responsible investing, is exploring different ways to assess the environmental, social and governance (ESG) performance of microfinance institutions (MFIs).

MICROCAPITAL EVENT: 2010 Toronto Microfinance Conference and Gala, Toronto, Canada, October 1 to October 2

Event Name: 2010 Toronto Microfinance Conference and Gala: ‘moving out of poverty… the micro way’

Event Date: Gala – ‘the micro ball’ – October 1, 2010, and Conference – ‘the micro way’ – October 2, 2010

Event Location: Allstream Centre, Toronto, Canada

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: India’s Karnataka State Announces Creation of Microfinance Minister Post

The Indian state of Karnataka’s Minister for Cooperatives Mr Lakshmana Sangappa recently announced that the government is planning to create a new post of Minister of Microfinance to implement microfinance facilities to support the poor.

MICROCAPITAL EVENT: Hanson Wade Hosts Microfinancial Services World: Innovation In Microfinance Conference in Washington D.C., October 25 to 28

Event Name: Microfinancial Services World: Innovation In Microfinance

Event Date: October 25 – October 28, 2010

Event Location: Crowne Plaza Hamilton, Washington D.C.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Association of Microfinance Institutions of Kenya Adopts Rules to Promote Accountability, Suppress “Profit Greed” Among Member Institutions

On August 20, 2010, the 43 members of the Association of Microfinance Institutions of Kenya (AMFI) unanimously signed an Industry Commitment Note [1], wherein each agreed to follow a new set of rules focused on governance, accountability and poverty eradication above “profit greed.”

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) Releases Arabic Edition of 2009 Arab Microfinance Report

The Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX), a nonprofit organization providing financial and social performance information for microfinance institutions, in association with the Sanabel network of Arab microfinance institutions and CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor), an independent policy and research center housed at the World Bank Group, recently released the Arabic edition of its 2009 Arab Microfinance Analysis and Benchmarking Report.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) Releases “Latin America and the Caribbean Benchmarks 2009”

The Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX), the microfinance information clearinghouse, recently released “Latin America and the Caribbean Benchmarks 2009” which compares performance indicators for microfinance institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean.

MICROFINANCE WRAP-UP: Microfinance Synergies and Trade-offs: Social versus Financial Performance Outcomes in 2008, by Adrian Gonzalez, Published by The Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX)

By Adrian Gonzalez, published by the Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX), August 2010, 15 pages, available at http://www.themix.org/sites/default/files/MIX%20Data%20Brief%207.pdf.

Adrian Gonzalez, a lead researcher for the Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX), conducted an econometric analysis to investigate whether there is a tradeoff between social performance (SP) and financial performance (FP) among microfinance institutions (MFIs) that reported data to MIX for the year 2008.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Pakistani Microfinance Institution (MFI) Farz Foundation Awarded Shari’ah Compliance Certificate

Pakistani microfinance institution (MFI), Farz Foundation, has been awarded a Shari’ah compliance certificate by Mr Mufti Iftikhar Baig, Advisor at Albarka Islamic Bank, and Mr Mufti Mahmood, Head of Online Fatawa Program, Jamia Ashrafia Pakistan.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) Releases French Edition of 2009 Arab Microfinance Report

The Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) in partnership with Sanabel, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing Arab microfinance, and CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor), an independent policy and research center housed at the World Bank Group, recently released the French edition of its 2009 Arab Microfinance Analysis and Benchmarking Report.

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) Releases “Brazil Microfinance Analysis and Benchmarking Report” in Portuguese

The Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX), the microfinance information clearinghouse, has recently released the Portuguese version of its most recent report on microfinance in Brazil, entitled “The 2009 Brazil Microfinance Analysis and Benchmarking Report.”