by Jocelyn Cheng -

MICROCAPITAL STORY: Change in Indian Capital Adequacy Standards Affect Microfinance Institutions

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) recently tightened capital adequacy standards governing microfinance institutions (MFIs) in India, and several local MFIs worry the change may lead to the need to raise additional capital and increase interest rates. 

by Greg Casey -

MICROCAPITAL STORY: Nobel Laureate Muhammad Yunus Speaks Out Against For-Profit Microfinance from Asia-Pacific Microcredit Summit

Muhammad Yunus, the microfinance pioneer and winner of the Nobel Prize for founding the Grameen Bank, spoke out against the growing trend of commercial microfinance. In an interview with CNNMoney.Com, Yunus chastised those involved with for-profit microfinance by saying that “poor people should not be considered an opportunity to make yourself rich.” These remarks come at the start of the Asia-Pacific Regional Microcredit Summit 2008 in Bali Indonesia.

by Greg Casey -

MICROCAPITAL STORY: Proposperity Microfinance Bank LTD of Nigeria Launches New Line of Microfinance Products

Nigerian microfinance institution (MFI) Prosperity Microfinance Bank Ltd (Pmbank) plans to launch a new set of microfinance products. The products cover a wide range of services and will expand the offerings of pmbank, which had previously been focused on microcredit.

by Greg Casey -

MICROCAPITAL STORY: Equity Bank, a Kenyan Microfinance Insitution, to Cross List on Uganda Securities Exchange after Recent Acquisition of Uganda Microfinance Ltd (UML)

Equity Bank, a leading provider of microfinance in Kenya, plans to cross-list on the Uganda Securities Exchange. This decision was spurred by the finalization of Equity Bank‘s acquisition of Uganda Microfinance Ltd (UML), which had been pending shareholder and regulator approval.

by Ipek Kuran -

PAPER WRAP-UP: Transforming NGO MFIs: Critical Ownership Issues to Consider, by Kate Lauer

Written by Kate Lauer, lawyer and a policy advisory consultant to Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP), published in June 2008 as Number 13 of Occasional Papers, a publication of CGAP, 28 pages, available at http://www.cgap.org/gm/document-1.9.4213/OccasionalPaper_13.pdf

by Sarah Knapp -

MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: Learning By Association: Micro Credit in Chiapas, Mexico, by Gustavo A. Barboza and Humberto Barreto

Written by Gustavo A. Barboza and Humberto Barreto, published April 2006 in Contemporary Economic Policy Vol. 24, No. 2, 16 pages available at: http://econpapers.repec.org/article/oupcoecpo/v_3A24_3Ay_3A2006_3Ai_3A2_3Ap_3A316-331.htm

by the MicroCapital Team -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: Making Finance Work for Africa Meeting in Ghana in June

MAKING FINANCE WORK FOR AFRICA – PARTNERSHIP MEETING

JUNE 17 – JUNE 18, 2008, ACCRA, GHANA

The Partnership for Making Finance Work for Africa is an initiative to support the efforts of African countries to accelerate economic growth and reduce poverty. This event is to inlcude:

by Jennifer Lee -

PAPER WRAP-UP: Guidelines to Evaluate Social Performance by ACCION International by Rehka Reddy

This 21-page paper provides microfinance institutions (MFIs) guidelines to measure their social performance and thus stay true to their mission and goals. Part of ACCION International’s InSight Series, the paper was written by Senior Director Rekha Reddy, who is responsible for measuring the poverty and social performance of ACCIOn affiliates. ACCION International is an international, non-profit microlending organization. One can find the full paper here.

by Anthony Busch -

PAPER WRAP-UP: Performance and Transparency: A Survey of Microfinance in South Asia, Microfinance Information eXchange (MIX)

Authored and published by staff members of the Microfinance Information eXchange (MIX), initiated and funded by the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP) and The World Bank, released January 2006, 100 pages, available at http://microfinancegateway.com/files/31049_file_MIX_South_Asia_Performance_and_Transparency_2_.pdf