by Elva Montelongo -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Maquita Cushunchic Borrowing $2m from DID Aequitas Fund for Microfinance, Small-enterprise Lending in Ecuador

Cooperativa de Ahorro y Crédito Maquita Cushunchic, a financial institution founded by women in Ecuador, recently accepted a loan of USD 2 million from Aequitas, a fund managed by a holding of Desjardins International Development (DID), which in turn is a member of the Canada-based cooperative Desjardins Group. Maquita Cushunchic, which mainly serves micro- and small enterprises, was founded in 1997 and since has grown to serve

by Elva Montelongo -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: 24 Education Technology Startups in Kenya, Nigeria Joining Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship

The Canada-based Mastercard Foundation recently announced that 24 educational technology (edtech) startups in Kenya and Nigeria have joined the Mastercard Foundation EdTech Fellowship program, which promotes “technology in learning and teaching to benefit learners, education and edtech innovators across the continent” of Africa. The Kenyan inductees are listed at:

by Ben Barba -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: ADB, FinDev Canada to Partner on Investments in Market Development; Women’s Empowerment; Climate Change Adaptation, Mitigation in Asia, Pacific

The multilateral Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the Canadian government’s FinDev Canada recently announced a partnership to support projects in Asia and the Pacific that further FinDev Canada’s priority areas of “women’s economic empowerment, climate action and local market development.” In addition to identifying deals to co-finance, the organizations plan

by Renata Samadova -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Asociación de Cooperativas Argentinas (ACA) Borrows $80m from FMO, FinDev Canada, Rabobank to Boost Exports of Produce from 50,000 Farms in Argentina

Asociación de Cooperativas Argentinas (ACA), a network of 143 agricultural cooperatives in Argentina, recently borrowed USD 80 million from three institutions, led by the Dutch development bank Financierings-Maatschappij voor Ontwikkelingslanden (FMO). FMO is lending ACA half of the total, and

by Harriet Ritchie -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Deetken Impact Invests in Pro Mujer Mexico – Provider of Education, Healthcare, Microfinance – Through Ilu Women’s Empowerment Fund

Canada-based asset management company Deetken Impact and US-based nonprofit women’s development organization Pro Mujer recently announced they are making an investment in Pro Mujer Mexico from the investment vehicle they co-manage, the Ilu Women’s Empowerment Fund. The parties to the transaction wish

by Harriet Ritchie -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: IDB Invest, DFC, FinDev Canada Loan $390m to Davivienda of Colombia for SMEs, Environmental Sustainability, Women

IDB Invest, a member of the US-based Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) Group; the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC); and FinDev Canada, a subsidiary of government-owned Export Development Canada, recently issued subordinated loans totaling USD 390 million to Colombia’s Banco Davivienda for repayment over 10 years. The deal will “provide new financing for work

by Harriet Ritchie -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: PBU Invests in SEAF Women’s Economic Empowerment Fund (SWEEF), Targeting SMEs in Indonesia, the Philippines, Vietnam

The UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP) and Small Enterprise Assistance Funds (SEAF), a US-based investment manager, recently closed the first round of funding of the SEAF Women’s Economic Empowerment Fund (SWEEF). While the amount of investment has not been disclosed, the Danish pen

by Sharanya Madhavan -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Government of Canada to Invest $6m in Afghanistan’s Zardozi to Support Women’s Economic Empowerment

The government of Canada recently announced it will donate USD 5.9 million from 2016 to 2020 to Zardozi, an Afghanistan-based NGO supporting women in establishing microenterprises.