by Aarya Dhru -

MICROFINANCE EVENT: Sanabel’s 16th Annual Conference; November 21-22, 2023; Dead Sea, Jordan – POSTPONED

Please note that this event has been postponed; new dates have not yet been announced. This event is centered on the effects of global trends on microfinance in Arab countries. Participants will discuss and build strategies on topics such as making microfinance less harmful to the environment, improving risk management, and expanding services to farmers as well as

by Teo Lin-Bianco -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: EIB Lending Jordan Kuwait Bank $119m for SMEs Adjusting to COVID-19 Pandemic

Recently, the European Investment Bank (EIB), an entity of the EU, extended a credit line of EUR 100 million (USD 119 million) to Jordan Kuwait Bank in an effort to boost the Jordanian economy in response to the downturn caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The funds are to be used for

by Bradley Shulman -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Microfund for Women (MFW) Expands Digital Capabilities via MoneyPhone Technology

Microfund for Women (MFW), a nonprofit microfinance institution in Jordan, recently partnered with MoneyPhone, a Netherlands-based financial technology (fintech) company, to enhance its digital offerings in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Bdour Al-Hyari, the director of strategic planning and business development at MFW, cited the “opportunity for us to introduce new digital services, such as

by Nathan Kiplagat -

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Al Hussein Fund, Sanad Fund for MSME Offer Online Curriculum for Young Owners of Small Businesses in MENA

The Jordan-based, nonprofit Al Hussein Fund for Excellence and the Sanad Fund for MSME, a Luxembourg-domiciled investor in micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs), recently partnered to give young business owners in the Middle East and North Africa no-cost access to a course called “How to Start and Manage a Successful Business.” The course, which was delivered in Arabic on the Edraak online education platform, “comprises

by Jessica McLeod -

MICROFINANCE PAPER WRAP-UP: “Increasing Financial Inclusion in the Muslim World: Evidence from an Islamic Finance Marketing Experiment;” by Dean Karlan, Adam Osman, Nour Shammout; published by the World Bank Group

In spite of the growth of the Islamic finance sector, which promotes loans, insurance and other services that comply with the religious laws known as Shariah, financial inclusion rates in predominantly Muslim countries remain low. In collaboration with Tamweelcom, a microcredit institution in Jordan, the authors analyze how the following factors influence people’s decisions to borrow: