by Matthew Castner -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) to Grant Public Access to Funding Structure Data Set

The Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX), a nonprofit organization founded in 2002 with headquarters in Washington, DC, has informed MicroCapital that it will be adding the MIX Funding Structure Data set to the MIX Market website in July 2010.

by Julia Korn -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) Releases 2009 Arab Microfinance Report with Focus On Microfinance Sector Crisis in Morocco

The Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) has partnered up with Sanabel, a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing Arab microfinance [1], and CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor), an independent policy and research center housed at the World Bank Group [2], to release the Arab Microfinance Analysis and Benchmarking Report for 2009 [3].

by Julia Korn -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Six Microfinance Organizations Release Document Citing the Advantages of Microfinance as Response to “The Miracle of Microfinance? Evidence From a Randomized Evaluation” by Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo, Rachel Glennerster, and Cynthia Kinnan

As a response to skepticism of the success of microfinance in a study done by economists Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo, Rachel Glennerster, and Cynthia Kinnan, six organizations released an open letter citing the advantages of microfinance.

by the MicroCapital Team -

SPECIAL REPORT: Interview with Dirk Reinhard, Vice Chairman of the Munich Re Foundation and Member of the Executive Committee of the Microinsurance Network

Thank you to the Microinsurance Network for permission to reprint its recent interview with Dirk Reinhard, instigator of the International Microinsurance Conferences:

In light of the upcoming 6th International Microinsurance Conference taking place between 9-11 November in Manila, Philippines, Dirk Reinhard, Vice Chairman of the Munich Re Foundation and member of the Executive Committee of the Microinsurance Network, answers a few questions regarding the past, present and future of this pioneering conference.

Microinsurance Network: How did the first International Microinsurance Conference come about in Munich? What were the aims of this conference and who were behind it?

Dirk Reinhard: Munich Re – which founded the Munich Re Foundation in April 2005 – concerns itself with the great challenges facing the world today – population growth, globalisation, diminishing resources, environmental pollution and climate change.

by Stefanie Rubin -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Microfinance Invesment Vehicles’ (MIVs’) Total Assets Reach $3.6b in 2009 Despite Decreasing Yields and Stalled Industry Growth

Total assets of the top ten microfinance investment vehicles (MIVs) grew by 23 percent in 2009, reaching USD 3.6 billion, while MIVs’ investments in microfinance institutions (MFIs) grew by only 12 percent, according to a report by CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor), an independent policy and research center.

by Conner Brannen -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: Convergences 2015, Conference to Design Road Map for Microfinance In Next Decade, May 25 to May 26, 2010, Paris, France

Event Name: Convergences 2015

Event Date: May 25 to May 26, 2010

Event Location: City Hall, Paris, France

Event Website: http://www.convergences2015.org/

by Christine Chang -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: The Ministry of Economy and Budget Planning of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the Association of Microfinance Organizations of Kazakhstan (AMFOK) Co-host the 2010 Microfinance Centre (MFC) Annual Conference in Astana, Kazakhstan, May 26 – May 28, 2010

Event Name: 2010 MFC Annual Conference – Post-Crisis Microfinance: What Is the Responsible Way Forward?

Event Date: May 26 – May 28, 2010

Event Location: Ramada Plaza Astana, Astana, Kazakhstan

Event Website: http://www.mfc.org.pl/conference2010/

See Our Comprehensive Event Calendar Here: http://microfinanceassociation.ning.com/events

by Stefanie Rubin -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) Seeks Nominations for Social Performance Reporting Awards 2010

The nonprofit Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) is seeking nominations for the Social Performance Reporting Awards, established in 2009 by CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor), the Ford Foundation, the Michael and Susan Dell Foundation and the Social Performance Task Force (SPTF), a group aimed at defining social performance for microfinance institutions (MFIs).

by Stefanie Rubin -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) Releases 2009 Benchmarking Report on Eastern Europe and Central Asia in Russian

The nonprofit Microfinance Information Exchange (MIX) recently released the 2009 Eastern Europe and Central Asia Microfinance Analysis and Benchmarking Report in Russian.

by Stefanie Rubin -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Vision Microfinance Fund Invests $2m in EcoFuturo of Bolivia

Vision Microfinance Fund, a Luxembourg-based fund that focuses on microfinance institutions (MFIs) in emerging countries in Latin America, Eastern Europe and Asia, recently invested USD 2 million in EcoFuturo, a Bolivian microfinance institution (MFI) with 43,486 active borrowers and total assets of USD 118 million as of 2009.

by Stefanie Rubin -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: MicroSave Releases Podcast on the 2007 Initial Public Offering of Mexican Microfinance Lender Compartamos

MicroSave, a technical assistance, training and technical resource center for microfinance organizations, has released a podcast discussing issues surrounding the controversially lucrative 2007, USD 458 million initial public offering of the Mexican microfinance bank, Compartamos.

by Stefanie Rubin -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: New York Times Article Addresses High Interest Rates and Mission Drift Among Microfinance Providers

A recent article featured in the New York Times newspaper entitled, “Banks Making Big Profits From Tiny Loans,” argues there is a growing mission drift among microfinance providers and discusses the efficacy of microloans and the need for more transparency in the industry.

by Christopher Maggio -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: World Bank Group Database of Remittance Prices Worldwide Finds Average Cost for Sending $200 is Down to 8.72 Percent

The World Bank Group, a group of five organizations with a mission to improve living standards for people in the developing world, has published the fourth iteration of its Remittance Prices Worldwide database.

by Christine Chang -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Initial Public Offering (IPO) of India-based Microfinance Institution (MFI) SKS Microfinance Raises Questions about Ethics within the Industry

With the initial public offering (IPO) of SKS Microfinance, an Indian microfinance institution (MFI), expected to raise USD 250 million to USD 350 million for the MFI and its private equity (PE) investors, questions have been raised about the ethics of MFI investors profiting millions of dollars when their customers are poor.