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Opportunity International Sells Share of Rwanda’s Largest Microfinance Bank to HOPE International
Opportunity International and its affiliates in Canada and Germany have completed a share purchase agreement to sell its 50 percent ownership of Urwego Opportunity Bank (“Urwego”) to HOPE International, a network of Christ-centered microenterprise development programs in 16 countries.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- Sub-Saharan Africa
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Demonetisation: How to Get Cash-Stuck Microfinance Institutions Digitally Ready in India
The overnight demonetisation of R500 and R1,000 currency notes shook the entire Indian economy, for good or bad is yet uncertain. An estimated 85% of the value of currency has ceased to be a legal tender and the release of the new currency has been rationed for the next few months. Such a move from the government will most likely put a check on black money circulation in medium- to long-term, however, it will also impact businesses in the short-run given the fact that more than 90% of the consumer payments in India still happen in cash. The move is also expected to be a boon for digital financial services ecosystem in India. While the penetration of digital payments infrastructure has rapidly increased in the last two years, the value of consumer payments that happen through cards or other digital means in India is still far behind some of the other comparable economies. The point-of-sale terminals per 100,000 debits cards are lower in India compared to other BRIC nations (India-2; Russia-6.1; China-12.5; Brazil-14.8).
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- South Asia
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Online Micro Credit on the Rise in India
Paving the way for migration of a large section of the population dependent on unofficial credit transactions into the formal sphere, the demonetisation move by the central government has boosted the prospects of online credit platforms.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- South Asia
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Cash transactions surge at Indian microfinance firms after note ban
Restrictions on cash withdrawals have had the perverse effect of boosting cash transactions in microfinance companies. Microlenders are hoarding cash received in repayments and then disbursing it to customers directly rather than depositing it into bank accounts, officials of at least three firms said.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- South Asia
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How Catalyst Fund Helped PayGo Energy Build a Foundation for Growth
As startups move past a proof of concept and start to scale, they require whole new sets of systems, operational processes and skills that will allow them to grow and expand. A well-thought-out backend system can help make the transition, but building it requires a team with the technical expertise to implement the right changes.
- Categories
- Finance, Technology
- Tags
- fintech, microfinance
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Grameen Foundation lndia Launches G-LEAP e-Learning App
Grameen Foundation India, a technical services provider dedicated to advancing financial inclusion, launched Grameen Learning Program (G-LEAP), a first of its kind e-learning app for microfinance institutions which enables any-time, any-where learning. Powered by Handytrain, the app will help organizations train frontline microfinance staff and agents quickly and cost-effectively, anywhere and at anytime.
- Categories
- Technology
- Region
- South Asia
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Meet the people adding $3.7 trillion to the developing world with financial inclusion
Delivering financial services to the developing world's unbanked people will add $3.7 trillion to the GDP of emerging economies within a decade, according to a recent report by McKinsey.
- Categories
- Impact Assessment
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Where Do Microfinance Firms Go From Here?
If you have your ear to the ground, you may hear 1.2 million employees of the Indian microfinance industry singing an old song of country-and-western singer and songwriter Jim Reeves:
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
- Tags
- microfinance
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