Posts Tagged ‘World Bank’

By Min-Si Wang, Microfinance Focus, Sept 20, 2010: Farmers and agricultural workers have traditionally been a target customer group for microfinance institutions.  Nearly 75% of the 1.3 billion people living on less than a dollar a day depend on agricultural activities.  Unfortunately, the cyclicality inherent in a farmer’s cash cycle makes the group a difficult customer segment to service.  A farmer’s income is subject to volatility ... Full story

Microfinance Focus, Sep 1, 2010: Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP) has appointed Tilman Ehrbeck as its new Chief Executive Officer on Tuesday in Washington DC. Ehrbeck will succeed Elizabeth Littlefield, who was recently appointed President and CEO of OPIC (Overseas Private Investment Corporation). CGAP is an independent policy and research center and is supported by over 30 development agencies and private foundations. Housed at ... Full story

Microfinance Focus, Aug 7, 2010: The World Bank has approved a US$75 million loan for supporting the Peruvian government’s policies for sustainable environmental growth and strengthening institutional environmental capacities in key sectors such as mining, fishing and urban transportation, as well as improving the public sector’s capacities and participation. The series of three budget support operations contributes to: strengthening the Ministry of the Environment’s capacities; the ... Full story

Microfinance Focus, Aug 2, 2010: World Bank has further extended its support to the Government of Djibouti to accelerate poverty reduction in the poorest areas of its capital and to expand access to electricity for poor people with additional grant financing of $8.9 million The Republic of Djibouti and the World Bank signed additional financing agreements for the Power Access and Diversification Project (US$6.00 million) and ... Full story

Microfinance Focus, July 9, 2010: Microfinance News Synopsis brings a compilation of industry headlines broadcasted by other news media from across the world. World Bank to lend $407 mn for microfinance, quality stats: The World Bank and India today signed two agreements for a total loan of $407 million to scale up microfinance services in unbanked areas and improve capacity to generate quality statistics.The assisted projects ... Full story

Microfinance Focus, June 15, 2010: Through the budget of Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs today approved the proposal for making a budget provision of Special Drawing Rights (SDR) equivalent of USD 100 million (approx. Rs.450 crore) of International Development Association (IDA) loan for on-lending to Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI). The IDA loan comes under ... Full story

Microfinance Focus, June 3, 2010: World Bank’s IBRD (International Bank for Reconstruction and Development) will be giving a $200 million loan to SIDBI (Small Industries Development Bank of India) for ‘Scaling up Sustainable and Responsible Microfinance Project’ in India. With a maturity period of 25 years, the project is designed to support operations and growth in MFIs, enhance their financial strength, and enable them to ... Full story

Microfinance Focus, May 29, 2010: The World Bank Group’s Board of Directors has recently approved a US$40 million loan in support of the Metro Water and Sanitation Improvement Project in Panama. The Project will expand coverage of water supply for 100,000 people and sanitation services for 60,000; increase efficiency and support the National Water and Sewer Agency, IDAAAN, in its modernization in selected areas of ... Full story

Microfinance Focus, May 28, 2010: The World Bank Group‘s Lighting Africa Program have recently awarded five innovative products as the best able to deliver safe, reliable and cost-effective lighting to millions of people in Africa who currently rely on fuel-based lamps or other low-quality products. Barefoot Power a social entrepreneurial business won the award in the room lighting category and also in top performance category. ... Full story

Microfinance Focus, Dec. 21, 2009: The World Bank Board of Executive Directors approved US$70 million financing for the Enhancing Small and Medium Enterprises Access to Finance Project in Bosnia recently, said a release. The Enhancing Small and Medium Enterprises Access to Finance Project aims to improve access to finance for small and medium enterprises in Bosnia and Herzegovina, contributing to the growth of the regional economy ... Full story

Microfinance Focus, Nov. 12, 2009: World Bank investment arm IFC has decided to invest $1.15 million in Belstar Investment and Finance Limited, Hand in Hand's microfinance arm, to help establish a sustainable microfinance operation and reach a million women in the next five years. Hand in Hand is an NGO based in Chennai. IFC Executive Vice President and CEO Lars Thunell signed an agreement with Belstar ... Full story

Microfinance Focus, Nov. 09, 2009: The World Savings Banks Institute (WSBI) will be working with members in 10 different countries as a part of a global effort to dramatically increase the number of savings accounts among poor people in developing countries. WSBI selected the banks after a global competition based on proposals to increase access to financial services and banks’ existing presence in local communities.... Full story

By Matthew Fuchs Microfinance Focus, Nov. 4, 2009: Commitments from donors and investors to microfinance increased by 24% in 2008 to $14.8 billion, according to the CGAP 2009 Microfinance Funder Survey released last week. A further $3 billion was disbursed, two-thirds  from investors. South Asia attracted 25% of commitments, the largest share of any region, with $3.65 million. This was an increase of 14% for the year ... Full story

Microfinance Focus, Oct. 21, 2009: International Finance Corporation, the investing arm of World Bank group, on Wednesday announced that it will list its first Sukuk (Islamic finance investment certificates) with the Nasdaq Dubai and Bahrain stock exchanges. The IFC Hilal Sukuk will be a dollar-denominated $100 million non-amortizing issue with a five-year maturity. It will help develop the region’s nascent Sukuk market and encourage other ... Full story