Catalyst for Change 48 Hour Challenge
March 30, 2012 No CommentsFrom the Rockefeller Foundation and the Institute for the Future:
Archive for News and Commentary
All About Upaya: Microenterprise Accelerator
March 27, 2012 No CommentsTo learn more about the work of Upaya and its LiftUP Project, click on the image to watch their explanatory video.
UPDATE: Screening of Bonsai People, the New Muhammad Yunus Documentary
March 19, 2012 No CommentsSeaMo and other members of the Seattle microfinance community will be hosting the premier of Bonsai People, a documentary about Muhammad Yunus’ drive to build social businesses as the next wave of development. The screening will be on April 18th at UW’s Kane Hall at 7pm with a reception preceding it at 5pm. UPDATE: The ...
Global Partnerships, Fonkoze Pledge to Reach 50,000 Women in 3 Years
November 21, 2011 No CommentsIn a partnership with Linked Foundation, Fonkoze and Global Partnerships plan to reach 50,000 poor and ultra poor women in Haiti with essential health services. In 2010, 15 percent of the poor market women served by Fonkoze left our program because of expenses related to health issues,” said Carine Roenen, Director of Fonkoze. “For years our ...
Zidisha Turns Microfinance on its Head
November 18, 2011 No CommentsWhile conducting fieldwork for a microfinance organization in West Africa in 2006, Zidisha.org founder Julia Kurnia noticed something startling. Loans that were funded at zero interest by well-meaning participants at popular microlending websites were costing the impoverished beneficiaries more than 35% on average in interest and fees. The exorbitant rates were charged by the local ...
Points to Ponder: What is Microfinance?
November 17, 2011 No CommentsBy Diane Lourdes Dick. What is “microfinance”? Does the term refer to a series of financial transactions, or does it suggest a social movement? Is microfinance defined by qualitative factors, or in terms of the economic value of each loan? If the latter, is the value ceiling set in real or relative terms? If the former, what are ...
Legal Focus: Microfinance Regulation in India
November 8, 2011 No CommentsBy Diane Lourdes Dick. To what extent should a state or country regulate microloan transactions occurring within its borders? In recent years, this question has loomed large among lawmakers in India, where microfinance institutions have achieved considerable growth. For instance, a 2004 report commissioned by the German government’s Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development ...
Legal Focus: Microfinance and Secured Transactions Reforms
October 25, 2011 No CommentsBy Diane Lourdes Dick. In a 2006 publication, the World Bank advocated legal reforms that would allow persons in low- and middle-income countries to borrow against the value of personal property assets. Last year, the United Nations Commission on International Trade Law issued its Legislative Guide on Secured Transactions. The latter, a 500+ page report, ...
Global Partnerships Magnified: October 25th
October 19, 2011 No CommentsPlease join Global Partnerships for wine, nibbles and a dynamic conversation with CEO Rick Beckett. Rick will provide an in-depth look at the stories and impact behind GP’s work and discuss GP’s new focus on innovative solutions beyond microfinance, such as women’s health education, agricultural training for small-scale coffee farmers and green technology that improves ...
Travel to Peru to Learn More about Microfinance (and see Machu Picchu, too!)
September 5, 2011 1 CommentGlobal Partnerships is organizing a delegation to visit partner microfinance institutions in Peru: Join us for an unforgettable journey to one of the most fascinating countries in Latin America. We’ll travel to remote areas to witness firsthand how people are building businesses and improving their lives with the help of microloans and other support from ...