-
Lending to Rwandan Farmers Boosts Financial Position of MFIs
With commercial banks shying away from financing the agriculture sector because they consider it to be highly risky, MFIs remain the biggest lenders to farmers--especially smallholder farmers.
- Categories
- Agriculture, Finance
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
-
A microloan can help poor people in Bangladesh. What about New Jersey?
The Grameen Bank, one of the pioneers of microfinance, which has been operating its program in Bangladesh since the 1970s, released a study on one of its programs in New Jersey. The program works like this: Low-income women apply for a microloan as part of a small group, and all members of the group are accountable for ensuring each member makes payments.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- North America
-
The Winds of Change: Mobilizing Microfinance for Climate Change Resilience
Though the world is slowly taking action on climate change, much of the debate still focuses on mitigation. In fact, adaptation – becoming resilient to the changes to come – is equally important, say Daniel Rozas and Sam Mendelson at e-MFP. They explore how the financial inclusion industry can help vulnerable communities develop resilience to the disruptions of climate change, and to adapt to permanently changed environments. This year’s European Microfinance Award aims to inspire the sector to make this fundamental shift – interested providers can apply for the €100,000 award until April 9, 2019.
- Categories
- Environment, Finance
-
Scaling Access to Finance: Two Recent Studies Explore the Supply and Demand Sides of Funding ‘Missing Middle’ Enterprises in Emerging Markets
Over $5 trillion: That’s the estimated size of the financing gap for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in developing countries – a shortfall that's particularly problematic for the much-discussed “missing middle.” Since these businesses form the backbone of local economic growth and job creation in many communities, we need to better understand the challenges they face, says Karina Avakyan at Triple Jump. She explores two recent publications that address both sides of SMEs’ financing equation.
- Categories
- Finance
-
Press release: Microfinance is Instrumental in Alleviating Financial Hardship in the United States – Early Results of an MDRC Study of Grameen America
The first-of-its-kind random assignment study examined 1,492 women (in 300 loan groups) who applied in groups of five to the Grameen America microlending program in Union City, New Jersey. Applicant groups were assigned at random into two groups: those eligible to receive Grameen America loans (the program group) and those not eligible (the control group). The outcomes of the two groups were compared over time.
- Categories
- Finance
- Region
- North America
-
European Microfinance Award 2019 Focuses on How Financial Inclusion Sector can Strengthen Resilience to Climate Change
The European Microfinance Award 2019 seeks to highlight organisations active in the financial inclusion sector that provide financial and non-financial products and services aimed at strengthening the resilience of vulnerable communities to the effects of Climate Change.
- Categories
- Finance
-
Press release: VisionFund International’s Women’s Empowerment Fund Commits 2019 Funding to Armenia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Uganda and Vietnam
Ahead of International Women’s Day on 8 March, VisionFund International (VisionFund), the microfinance arm of children’s charity World Vision, has pledged over $1.2 million in funding to support over 32,000 women in 2019 in Armenia, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Uganda, and Vietnam from its Women’s Empowerment Fund, a fund established to empower women’s ability to improve their livelihoods and benefit their children.
- Source
- Press release
- Categories
- Finance
-
Report: Over 80 percent of social investments in Myanmar are in microfinance
Among the goals of the forum is for AVPN to influence investors’ portfolios more deeply in order to help them increase the impact of their work. During the forum, AVPN also released its Social Investment Landscape in Myanmar Report.
- Region
- Asia Pacific