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Microfinance in the Crosshairs: Will Kyrgyzstan’s usury bill backfire?
Microfinance has become a subject of controversy, as predatory lenders and unfair interest rates have tarnished its image and led to government interventions. But in Kyrgyzstan, a country with little financial regulation and no sovereign credit rating, increasing regulations may soon have negative consequences for the very clients they’re intended to protect.
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Policy interventions go wrong
It is a classic case of a government policy going horribly wrong. It was intended to protect consumers' right, but it ended up hurting them the most. When the Andhra Pradesh government sought to restrict microfinance institutions' (MFI) activities in December 2010, it was with good intentions.
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- microfinance
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Habitat for Humanity launches housing micro-credit in Costa Rica
Poor would-be homeowners will have the chance to remodel or build their own homes in a housing market that skews toward the rich.
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- Finance
- Tags
- housing, human rights, microfinance
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Microfinance in Africa: The importance of women
MicroLoan Foundation has been making small loans, accompanied by business training, for more than ten years now - and they have only ever targeted these services to women. Mike Warmington, the organization’s Head of Operations, explains why and how they’re focusing on women in their efforts to reduce poverty at the BoP.
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Nigeria: Microfinance Banks Need More Financial Empowerment
The Managing Director, Fortis Micofinance Bank Plc, Mr. Kunle Oketikun has called for more financial empowerment for Nigerians.
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- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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World Bank president to open 2013 Microcredit Summit
World Bank president Jim Yong Kim will open the 2013 Microcredit Summit: Partnerships against Poverty on October 9 with a recorded statement urging the nearly 800 delegates from 69 countries to commit themselves to the advancement of microfinance to end extreme poverty.
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- Asia Pacific
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Cost vs. Tech: Will innovation make it affordable to transact with the BoP?
NextBillion Financial Innovation’s introductory series features the views of top innovators and leaders on what’s driving financial innovation, where momentum is heading, and what obstacles remain. Today, Anurag Agrawal, CEO of Intellecap lays out the core isssues involved in bringing low-cost financial products to customers at the base of the pyramid.
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The Sharks of Microfinance and the Future of Impact Investing
Both impact investing and microfinance are market-based solutions designed to address economic gaps within society. However, the notion of profiting from the poor is still a contentious debate at the cornerstone of these modern financial innovations, and impact investing is no exception with its primary target being emerging markets.
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