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Pay-It-Forward Model Shows Potential for Microfinance in Developing Nations
Ten years ago, microfinance was celebrated with the Nobel Peace Prize for its potential to break people out of poverty. Today, the microfinance industry has grown to hundreds of institutions serving more than 150 million borrowers in the developing world, but is widely criticized for exploiting the world’s poor and, ultimately, making poverty worse.
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- Uncategorized
- Tags
- lending, microfinance
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VisionFund International and Opportunity International Partner to Expand Financial Inclusion for Unbanked Citizens of Democratic Republic Of Congo
Opportunity International, a next generation microfinance organization that invests philanthropic and social impact capital to spark and scale innovative solutions to global poverty, has entered into a share purchase agreement to sell a majority stake of its microfinance institution in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) to VisionFund International, World Vision’s microfinance arm.
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- Press Release
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- Uncategorized
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- microfinance
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Turning the Microfinance Model Upside Down: An Interview with Jeffrey Ashe
In this frank interview, microfinance pioneer-turned-savings group advocate Jeffrey Ashe discusses the history of the savings group model, how it improves upon microfinance – and why it doesn't get as much attention.
- Categories
- Finance
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India’s Prime Minister Launches ‘Stand Up India’ to Promote Financial Inclusion
Giving a push to government's financial inclusion programme, Prime Minister Narendra Modi today launched the Stand-up India scheme under which 1.25 lakh bank branches will provide loans up to Rs 1 crore to SC/ST and women entrepreneurs.
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- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
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Indian Microfinance Self-Regulator Acts to Ward Off Danger of Over-Indebtedness Crisis
The Andhra Pradesh microfinance crisis that put the entire sector on the verge of collapse is still fresh in everybody's mind and MFIN is no exception. Before the crisis, the sector was known for 100% growth year after year while borrowers took loans beyond their capacity to repay leading to the undoing of many of the leading micro lenders.
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- Uncategorized
- Region
- South Asia
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- lending, microfinance
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OPIC Achieves $1 Billion in Global Microfiance Support
The Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), the U.S. Government’s development finance institution, today announced that the agency has surpassed $1 billion in financing support to global microfinance institutions, lenders and frameworks since 2010. OPIC provides financing to microfinance institutions through investments in microfinance vehicles, targeted credit facilities to individual microfinance institutions (MFIs), risk-sharing agreements, and guaranties supporting innovative industry efforts. OPIC’s financing has supported more than 100 microfinance institutions in more than 30 countries.
- Categories
- Investing
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- lending, microfinance
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IKEA Foundation Opens Clean Water Access Through Micro-finance Loans
In cooperation with Water.org, the IKEA Foundation will enable 300,000 people to access clean water and sanitation over the next four years through a micro-finance loan program, foundation CEO Per Heggenes said during a discussion in Jakarta.
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- Health Care
- Region
- Asia Pacific
- Tags
- microfinance
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Study: Micro-financing Impoverished Communities ‘Can Lead to Increased Debt Levels and Suicide’
Micro-financing "led to a higher level of debt among already impoverished communities" in the developing world, instead of kickstarting jobs, according to new study. After months of research in Bangladesh, Dr Laurel Jackson has warned that the practice of providing small loans to poor families is dramatically increasing stress and debt levels.
- Categories
- Uncategorized
- Tags
- microfinance, research
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