-
Consumer Protection in Microfinance Exceeds 15-Million-Client Mark via Smart Certified Institutions
It’s been an exciting few months for client protection in the microfinance industry. FINCA Kyrgyzstan, MBK Ventura in Indonesia, SKS Microfinance in India, and a number of other MFIs around the world demonstrated that they successfully integrate the client protection principles into their practices and joined the rapidly growing list of institutions that are Smart Certified. Today, we’re pleased to share that the number of clients across all the Smart Certified institutions surpassed the 15-million-client benchmark.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
-
Whole Foods Market Launches Campaign to Fight Global Poverty Through Microcredit
Whole Planet Foundation is kicking off its 2015 Prosperity Campaign at Whole Foods Market with the goal of raising $5 million for microlending programs worldwide—enough to help 135,000 people lift themselves out of poverty and start a new life.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
-
What Impact Investors Can Learn From Microfinance
What has microfinance achieved for the world’s poor? Estimates vary widely, but 300 million people are estimated to be direct beneficiaries of the microcredit movement, and more than $68 billion may be currently invested in the industry, according to a 2010 estimate from the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor, a unit of theWorld Bank.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
-
Vikram Akula’s Next Big Gig
On January 29, the board of SKS Microfinance, the country's only listed microfinance entity, approved the company's proposal to apply for a licence to set up a small finance bank, a new category of lenders that the Reserve Bank of India has created to drive financial inclusion. A few kilometres away from the SKS office in Hyderabad, Vikram Akula, who founded the company in 1997 and had to unceremoniously exit in 2011, is giving final touches to the application for a small finance bank for his start-up VAYA Finserv.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
-
Microfinance Strikes Deep Roots in West Bengal
The Indian microfinance sector has found a new Andhra Pradesh in West Bengal. The sector, which has not been able to see any business in the state of Telangana and AP, has seen brisk business in this eastern state, piping other southern states as well.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
-
Twitter Top Ten – 2/15/15
We’ve got plenty of tweets in this "Valentine’s Day Weekend" edition of our Twitter Top Ten. And we’ve even thrown in a holiday-themed tweet just for the occasion - a great example of behavioral science humor (yes, there is such a thing). Beyond that, we’ve got tweets covering everything from the ongoing debate over microcredit to the (hopeful) winding down of an epidemic in this week’s list.
- Categories
- Health Care
-
Bangladesh’s Political Turmoil Taking Its Toll on Small, Medium Businesses
The ongoing political turmoil continues to take its toll on the small and medium businesses who have borrowed money from micro finance institutions (MFIs) as the big MFIs have tightened their vigilance fearing the future impact on loan recovery.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- lending, microfinance
-
For MFIs in India, Transition to Small Banks Could Be Arduous
The Reserve Bank of India’s decision to create small finance banks could be a game-changer for microfinance institutions (MFIs) in the country.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
Subscribe to Our Weekly Newsletter, "NextBillion Notes"
Published each Wednesday, our e-newsletter features NextBillion's latest original articles, along with a selection of news, jobs, bizdev opportunities and events from our recent coverage — and regular conference ticket giveaways.
We respect your privacy. Your information is safe and will never be shared.
Don't miss out. Subscribe today.