by Elva Montelongo -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: ANDE Annual Conference; September 12-14, 2023; Accra, Ghana

This event will observe the “half-way point” towards the 2030 target of achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations. It is themed “Accelerating Action: Small Business Solutions and the SDGs,” and is to focus on cataloging the progress and ongoing needs of small and

by Harriet Ritchie -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Invest in Visions (IIV) Mikrofinanzfonds Lends $12m to Bayport for Payroll Lending in Colombia

Invest In Visions Mikrofinanzfonds, a fund managed by Germany-based Invest In Visions (IIV), has disbursed a senior loan of EUR 10 million (USD 12.1 million) to Bayport Colombia, one of the nine financial services providers (FSPs) of Mauritius-based microfinance network Bayport Management Limited. Bayport Colombia is using the cash to fund

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 Tiannah Steele -

MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP UP: “Microfinance in the United States: Early Impacts of the Grameen America Program,” Published by Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation

This a summary of a paper by Kelsey Schaberg, Victoria Quiroz-Becerra, Toni Castro-Cosio, Stephen Nuñez and Richard Hendra; published by the Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation; March 2019; 34 pages; available at: https://www.mdrc.org/sites/default/files/Grameen_Report_final-web.pdf

Grameen America is an NGO that provides loans to low-income female entrepreneurs in the US. Women apply for loans as a group of five, and if approved, loans are distributed on an individual basis. However, if any member fails to repay her loan, other members cannot receive further loans until that individual’s loan is paid. To form a group, the members must

by Nicholas Galimberti -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: SOCAP18; October 23 – 26, 2018; San Francisco, California, USA

Event Summary: At the eleventh edition of this gathering, speakers will delve into topics related to impact investing and social entrepreneurship. Although this year’s agenda is not final, SOCAP17 included a networking session specific to agriculture, a session titled Neighborhood Economics and one