Policy Retreat on BCs: Report available

The College of Agricultural Banking (CAB) and ACCESS jointly organised a Policy Retreat on Business Correspondents and Facilitators on 15th May, 2009 at CAB Campus, Pune. Download the Report : http://www.microfinanceindia.org/download_reports/bc_retreat_report.pdf

. . . → Read More: Policy Retreat on BCs: Report available

Microfinance Focus Partners With ACCESS for Summit

Microfinance Focus, a news portal and monthly e-magazine on microfinance, will serve as the official media partner of the “Microfinance India Summit 2009″ to be held in New Delhi from October 26 to 28.

The theme of the conference is “Doing Good and Doing Well: The need for balance”. The summit will focus on providing financial services to low-income groups, organisers said. The event, sixth in a series of annual summits organised by ACCESS Development Services, a microfinance solutions . . . → Read More: Microfinance Focus Partners With ACCESS for Summit

Next Microfinance India Summit in Delhi from Oct 26-28

The next Microfinance India Summit will be held in New Delhi from October 26 to 28 and this year’s theme will be “Doing Good and Doing Well: The need for balance”. The summit will focus on providing financial services to low-income groups, organisers said. The event, sixth in a series of annual summits organised by ACCESS Development Services, a microfinance solutions provider, will draw diverse perspectives of the future of microcredit in India.

ACCESS also said the “Microfinance India-State of . . . → Read More: Next Microfinance India Summit in Delhi from Oct 26-28

'Mobiles and Money India' conference to address financial inclusion

Microfinance Focus, Aug. 14, 2009: BizEvents.Asia is organising the “Mobiles and Money India” conference in Mumbai on November 23 and 24 to focus on strategies for increasing the access to financial services and products to India’s under-banked people.

The conference aims at bringing the mobile payments and payments ‘ecosystem’ — mobile operators, banks, microfinance institutions and non-governmental organisations and thrid-party vendors — together. It will discuss the strategy, innovation and emerging business models for mobile banking and payments in . . . → Read More: 'Mobiles and Money India' conference to address financial inclusion

Russia's eighth microfinance conference to focus on financial crisis

Microfinance Focus, Aug. 17, 2009: The National Partnership of Microfinance Market Stakeholders (NAMMS) and the Russian Microfinance Center will hold the eighth national conference on “The Role of Microfinance in Overcoming the Financial and Economic Crisis” in Moscow from Nov. 17 to 19, 2009.

The conference will feature presentations by speakers including the Russian policy-makers, legislators and regulators, representatives of the Grameen Bank (Bangladesh), UN, the World Bank, international associations of microfinance providers and financial cooperatives, raters and development agencies, . . . → Read More: Russia's eighth microfinance conference to focus on financial crisis

Breaking rules of microfinance is Microcredit Summit's new agenda

Sam Daley-Harris

Microfinance Focus, Aug. 4, 2009: Microfinance has evolved after Dr Muhammad Yunus decided to break the rules of traditional banking. “Now as microfinance is becoming a main stream banking system, we need to start thinking about breaking the rules of Microfinance,” says Sam Daley Harris, Director of the Microcredit Summit Campaign, in an interview to Jerome Peloquin, Managing Editor-US of Microfinance Focus.

Sam Daley-Harris is also founder of RESULTS, a grassroots organization that seeks to create the . . . → Read More: Breaking rules of microfinance is Microcredit Summit's new agenda

Grameen-Jameel institutes microfinance awards for Arab MFIs

Arab Microfinance Network Sanabel and Grameen-Jameel have instituted a new awards program that recognizes Arab microfinance institutions who have demonstrated excellence in innovation, leadership and sustainable growth, the organisation said on its website. Award winners will be announced at the Sanabel Seventh Annual Conference in 2010 and the winners will be receiving $10,000 cash prizes from Grameen Jameel, a for-profit limited company jointly owned by Grameen Foundation and Abdul Latif Jameel Group. All Sanabel members are eligible to apply for . . . → Read More: Grameen-Jameel institutes microfinance awards for Arab MFIs

Obama presents Medal of Freedom to microfinance pioneer Yunus

“The truest test of a person’s life is what we do for one another,” said Obama at the ceremony. The awards were given away to 15 other prominent personalities from across the world including Desmond Tutu, South African anti-apartheid leader. The list of recipients included activists, scientists, actors, humanitarians and athletes. Calling them agents of change, President Obama had earlier said: “They remind us that we each have it within our power to fulfill dreams, to advance the . . . → Read More: Obama presents Medal of Freedom to microfinance pioneer Yunus

Mobiles & Money India

Strategies for Increasing the Access to Financial Services and Products to India’s Under-Banked

Market, societal and technological forces are pushing change at breakneck speed, and building a ‘perfect storm’ of opportunity for organisations delivering financial services to India’s rural and urban poor.

India is the world’s second largest cellular market with 347 million subscribers Smaller, cheaper and technically advanced handsets are entering the market Market liberalisation is encouraging new market entrants and business models . . . → Read More: Mobiles & Money India

MMT 09 Global Summit

The 2nd Annual MMT Global Summit returns to Dubai in October following its hugely successful launch last year. MMT 09 features a combination of visionary case studies from the likes of Karim Khoja, CEO, Roshan, Gautam Ivatury, Strategic Adviser, CGAP, Brad Jones, MD, Wing Cambodia and Jan Chipchase, Principal Scientist, Nokia, and strategic panel debates and roundtable discussions. It is a whole ecosystem event and all the key stakeholders are represented. Mobile networks rub shoulders with banks, MFIs and NGOs, . . . → Read More: MMT 09 Global Summit

Can Microfinance End Poverty?

Jerome Peloquin | Managing Editor-US |Microfinance Focus |

I believe the answer is, “NO,” not as it is presently structured. Present day MF has only one lending methodology, the installment loan. Although some are trying to find new models, basically the tried and true method of lending money at significant rates and collecting every week is the method of choice for many MFI’s.

Although the concept of Microfinance has been around for centuries, for most of us . . . → Read More: Can Microfinance End Poverty?

Livelihoods and Microfinance

G Muralidhar | Akshara Network for Livelihoods Support

We, as a country, have come a long way in meeting the financial needs of the poor. We are witnessing a transformation of micro-finance as a growth industry. More and more women are mobilized into SHGs all over the country. They are further mobilized into higher order federations. Bank linkages are growing rapidly. Some banks have started to offer cash credit lines of Rs.5 lakh per group. Credit Cards to farmers, . . . → Read More: Livelihoods and Microfinance

PEST analysis of Mobile Banking

Background

Mobile banking, a symbiosis of technology and financial services, is the hottest area of development in the banking sector and is expected to replace the debit/credit card system in future.

ATM and Internet banking have been around in India for a while. While both modes have had some success, penetration and use levels have been moderate. While ATMs offer convenience, they pose a perceived security threat in India given instances of mugging around them. Senior citizens and women appear . . . → Read More: PEST analysis of Mobile Banking

MICRO- FINANCE FOR SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES : NEED FOR ACTION PLAN

MICRO- FINANCE FOR  SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES : NEED FOR ACTION PLAN

Dr   Amrit Patel

In recent years India has made rapid strides in providing micro-credit to a very large number of SHGs. While individual members, more importantly, women borrowers, of these SHGs have  been able to eke out a living thriugh taking up & expanding  their traditional economic activities being financed under the Micro-credit programs through out the country, it is now most essential that these borrowers should be . . . → Read More: MICRO- FINANCE FOR SMALL & MEDIUM ENTERPRISES : NEED FOR ACTION PLAN

Pondicherry Univ. to hold 3rd international microfinance conference

Pondicherry University will hold its third annual international conference on microfinance from January 22 to 24 next year and has called for research papers. The conference is being held every year by the university’s School of Management, Department of Commerce to bring together policy-makers and researchers from educational institutions and universities in India and abroad.

Research papers by professionals from banks, non-governmental agencies, microfinance institutions, regulatory agencies, financial advice domains, insurance agencies and self help groups — are invited . . . → Read More: Pondicherry Univ. to hold 3rd international microfinance conference

Microfinance India Summit 2009

The sixth in a series of annual summits organised by ACCESS Development Services, this year’s Microfinance India Summit will be held on October 26-28, 2009 at Taj Palace Hotel, New Delhi. Over the years, the microfinance India Summit has emerged to become among the most important sectoral platforms globally, bringing together thought leaders to delve into and debate key current issues in the sector. The theme this year “Doing Good and Doing Well: The need for balance” will seek . . . → Read More: Microfinance India Summit 2009

Microfinance India Summit 2009

The sixth in a series of annual summits organised by ACCESS Development Services, this year’s Microfinance India Summit will be held on October 26-28, 2009 at Taj Palace Hotel, New Delhi. Over the years, the microfinance India Summit has emerged to become among the most important sectoral platforms globally, bringing together thought leaders to delve into and debate key current issues in the sector. The theme this year “Doing Good and Doing Well: The need for balance” will seek . . . → Read More: Microfinance India Summit 2009

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