Making Cents International, under the new Youth-Inclusive Financial Services Program (YFS-Link), is inviting youth-serving organizations, financial service providers, microfinance networks and associations, training and technical assistance providers, and a variety of supporting organizations such as funders and researchers, to take a survey on youth-inclusive financial services.
It's been more than 30 years since microfinance began its fantastic rise, spreading billions of dollars in credit to hundreds of millions of overlooked borrowers around the world. Insurance is the next big promise of financial services for the poor. But there aren't many takers. Read full article
Leading development economists affiliated with MIT’s Jameel Poverty Action Lab are working on two research papers about the effect of microcredit. The results question microlending as an effective means to fight poverty. Read full article
You might suppose that financial innovation have done enough damage. But bankers, investors and philanthropists believe it can help the world’s poor. From charity to the capital market, from standard private-public relation to “social-impact bond”, might innovations tackle the ever existing problem of financing social projects? Read full article
In the final statement on the two-day meeting the Group of 20 has committed to improving access to financial services for the poor. It has agreed to support the safe spread of new modes of financial service delivery capable of reaching the poor and, building on the example of microfinance, to scale up the successful models of small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) financing. Read full article
Mr Dela Selormey, Head of the Banking Supervision Department of the Bank of Ghana, represented the Bank of Ghana at the opening of this year's Financial Literacy Week in Ghana. Make people understand in order to include and protect them, and to foster economic growth and development was the essence of his speech. According to him understanding of financial services and banking operations plays a major role in consumer protection and financial inclusion. Additionally, he gave an outline of the pogramme and touched various issues that were to be adressed within the scope of this event, e.g. deposit mobilization, funds transfer and foreign currency inward.
Microfinance has become big business. Companies like PlaNet Finance and BlueOrchard, based in Geneva, attract not only public investors, but private ones seeking a “double bottom line” of socially responsible returns.(published 28 Aug 2009) Read full article
Has the need for savings accounts for low income households been underestimated? Expert Robert Vogel calls it “the forgotten half of rural finance”. (published 30 Aug 2009) Read full article
Roodman, a Research Fellow of the Center for Global Development, is writing a book on the impact of microfinance and shares his experience, ideas and draft chapters on his open book blog. “Chapter 7! Microfinance through ‘Development as Freedom’ Lens” is the title of the most recent chapter. Visit blog
“Promoting Financial Capability and Consumer Protection – A step forward towards financial inclusion in Africa” was the theme of this year’s conference of the Partnerhip for Making Finance Work for Africa (MFW4A). The follow-up event of the MFW4A Forum in 2008 provided a platform for exchanging expertise and knowledge on Africa’s financial potential. On the 8th and 9th of September international participants from various financial institutions including banks and non-governmental organisations, as well as academic and governmental institutions gathered in Accra in order to discuss and develop ideas for the future of financial sectors in Africa.
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