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USA: S. Siroya, Founder, Tala Mobile, How Tala Mobile is Using Phone Data to Revolutionize Microfinance
August, 30 2016
USA - Shivani Siroya, 33, is the founder of Tala Mobile, a four-year-old company based in Santa Monica, CA, that makes micro-loans in Kenya, Tanzania and the Philippines
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Challenges Facing MSMEs in Nigeria
August, 29 2016
Nigeria - It is the responsibility of government to provide employment and security for the people, among other things. However, since government cannot provide full employment for the people, what it does is to provide the enabling environment for non-state actors to bridge the gap
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Pakistan: Non-Banking Microfinance Regulations Introduced
August, 26 2016
Pakistan - The Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) has filled up the regulatory vacuum in the microfinance sector by introducing non-banking microfinance regulatory framework, SECP chairman Zafar Hijazi said
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Cambodia: MFI Lending Continues on Course
August, 26 2016
Cambodia - Cambodia's microfinance sector continued to expand rapidly during the first half of the year, despite concerns over rising default rates as the industry’s main borrowers – provincial farmers – struggle to repay their loans after successive seasons of drought and poor harvests
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Bangladesh: Debit Card for Farmers
August, 26 2016
Bangladesh - Farmers, in near future, may no longer need to queue up at banks for farm credits nor need to go to the banks or kiosks to withdraw cash. All they would need to do is use their preloaded debit cards to buy agro-inputs
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Pakistan: Banking for Prosperity
August, 25 2016
Pakistan - Until recently, Govind, a father of three, was one amongst the millions of Pakistanis living in poverty. A native of Badin Sindh, his life had been spent struggling to provide three square meals a day for his family
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The Nature of Safety Nets that Work
August, 24 2016
Global - Microfinance institutions around the world are familiar with the impact of disasters, both natural and man-made, on their clients and, by extension, their lending operations. From time to time, humanity faces one serious challenge or the other
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The Emergence of Impact Investing
August, 23 2016
Global - The impact investing industry is currently at an inflection point, with the incorporation of impact set to be the next phase of responsible investment. Furthermore, the industry is likely to see an ever-increasing number of investors turning their attention its way
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Beyond ‘Africa Rising’ – The Emergence of the Not-Quite-Middle Class
August, 22 2016
Africa - The past five years or so have seen a number of exuberant studies and predictions that Africa’s rapid growth was creating a new middle class. This new group of consumers, it was argued, would become an engine of domestic demand, reducing reliance on exports and sustaining economic growth in the same way as they have in China
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The Intersection of Fintech and Financial Inclusion in Asia
August, 22 2016
Asia - Fintech companies continue to grow and gain attention as the sector innovates for institutional and retail customers. According to the latest stats from CB Insights, fintech venture activity saw $7.4B in investment in the first two quarters of 2016
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Emerging Markets Back in Vogue
August, 20 2016
Global - Money is being poured into emerging markets at a record pace, as negative interest rates across the developed world lure investors towards riskier assets in what one trader has dubbed “a buying craze”
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Here Are 5 of Africa’s Most Financially Inclusive Countries
August, 19 2016
Africa - Financial inclusion is vital in achieving inclusive sustainable growth and development as well as reducing poverty. Globally, about 2 billion people do not have a bank account but, Africa has been experiencing great advancements in financial inclusiveness
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Philippines: Microfinancing up for Poor Entrepreneurs
August, 18 2016
Philippines - Poor families considered as “unbankable” loan clients can now tap government funding to open up small businesses, following the signing of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of a new law providing them access to microfinance services and operations
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Leveraging Fintech to Achieve Financial Inclusion in Indonesia
August, 17 2016
Indonesia - “Fintech” – an intersection of financial services and technology – is taking the traditional financial world by storm. Indonesia is no exception, with a fast-evolving ecosystem that includes a host of financial services offered by new generation fintechs
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Mobile Money in Bangladesh Plateaus after Fast Start
August, 17 2016
Bangladesh - Mobile money in Bangladesh had a fast start, with a particularly rapid growth of over-the-counter (OTC) use. Recent data from a Financial Inclusion Insights (FII) survey and Bangladesh Bank, however, show that while use is still increasing, the rate of growth in transaction value and volume is tapering off
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Philippines Officials Sign IRR on Microfinance NGOs Act
August, 16 2016
Philippines - Philippine officials on Tuesday signed the implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Microfinance NGOs Act, a measure opening up government funding to Filipinos who plan to open up small businesses in the country but are considered as "unbankable" loan clients
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Borrowing and Saving – Not Two Sides of the Same Coin
August, 15 2016
Global - From a mathematical point of view, borrowing and saving are mirror images. In both cases many small payments allow for one or more large payouts. Only the sequence differs. Stuart Rutherford’s classic description involves “saving up” (saving) and “saving down” (borrowing), both for the purpose of assembling “usefully large sums.” When viewed in this way it is clear that saving and borrowing can serve much the same purpose, and at times can even substitute for each other
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Bangladesh: Macro Foundation of Microfinance
August, 15 2016
Bangladesh - Microfinance has virtually swept over rural Bangladesh with the help of thousands of microfinance institutions (MFIs). Some of these institutions are very big and some are very small but together they account for about 60 per cent of total rural credit supply
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Philippines: BSP Chief Seeks to Boost Financial Inclusion
August, 15 2016
Philippines - Despite the rapid growth of the Philippine economy in recent years, a large number of Filipinos still have no meaningful access to the formal financial system—a situation that makes it more difficult for them to move up the socioeconomic ladder and also leaves them vulnerable to scams
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Why Kenyans May Still Be Exposed to High Interest Rates
August, 13 2016
Kenya - Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) governor Patrick Njoroge. Even if the President were to sign the proposed Bill into law, microfinance institutions and mobile phone loan transactions will not be affected by the decision by the National Assembly to cap interest rates at no more than four per cent of the Central Bank rate
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How GSMA is Driving Microfinance and Mobile Banking Worldwide
August, 11 2016
Global - GSMA, the primary global association for the mobile industry, has for years been laying the groundwork for mobile payments and microfinancing, and it has played an important role in making both options realistic for developing countries
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Microfinancing Climate Resilience
August, 10 2016
Global - To help the most vulnerable communities become more resilient to the effects of climate change, financial institutions should support SMEs
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Ten Developments Shaping Smallholder Finance in Africa
August, 09 2016
Africa - The lack of good financial services is one of the largest obstacles for farmers to improve and increase their productivity. The question is how to reduce the risk of agricultural activities so that financial institutions are prepared to provide loans to farmers
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New Report Ranks Countries on Financial Inclusion
August, 08 2016
Global - As the report notes, there is no one single path to financial inclusion. Instead, having a combination of a supportive regulatory environment and a strong blend of buy-in from public and private sector stakeholders will often translate into financially inclusive policies and actions.
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Microfinancing Climate Resilience
August, 08 2016
Global - Vulnerable communities face the brunt of climate change—from rising sea levels and extreme weather events to prolonged severe droughts and flooding. According to the World Bank, without effective mitigation measures, climate change could push more than 100 million people into poverty by 2030
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NMB Injects 500bn/ into Tanzania’s Agriculture
August, 04 2016
Tanzania - The National Microfinance Bank (NMB) has injected 500bn/- in its new five year strategy aiming at revamping agricultural financing in the country in its strategy dubbed ‘AgriBiashara’
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Fintech Isn’t Disrupting Africa’s Financial Industry—It’s Building It
August, 03 2016
Africa - African fintech is not disrupting the existing financial service providers. This is because, in many areas of the continent, there is nothing to disrupt, with large swathes of the low and lower middle income segments unserved or under-served when it comes to formal financial services
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Indonesian Economy: Micro, Small & Medium Sized Enterprises
August, 03 2016
Indonesia - Indonesia's Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati emphasizes the importance of cooperation between the government and Indonesia's micro, small and medium enterprises (including start ups). Indrawati spoke at the 12th World Islamic Economic Forum (WIEF) that opened on Tuesday (02/08) in Jakarta
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Cambodia: Prasac Ups Paid Up Capital
August, 03 2016
Cambodia - One of the Kingdom’s largest microfinance institutions (MFI), Prasac MFI, increased its paid up share capital by $29 million in a bid to increase public confidence and comply with the National Bank of Cambodia’s (NBC) requirements
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Africa: FinTech’s Natural Fit & Next Frontier
August, 03 2016
Africa - We’ve heard the sensationalism before – That the unbridled array of opportunities in Africa are either being “squandered”, “exploited” or just now seeping to the surface for globalization to capitalize on the ‘Rising Continent’ in a timely fashion
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Pakistan: Engro, USAID Collaborate to Support Small Farmers
August, 02 2016
Islamabad, Pakistan - Both USAID and the Engro Foundation are expected to support 5,000 farmers through this partnership by encouraging microfinance banks to grant loans, which will ensure farmers an access to all the necessary tools and services needed for agricultural inputs and transactions
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Africa's Microfinance Revolution
August, 01 2016
Africa - Technological advances are enabling microfinance providers in Africa to find new ways of doing more business at a lower cost. This, combined with a wave of fintech developments in this sector across the region, is transforming the continent's banking landscape
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Kyrgyzstan Establishes Guarantee Fund to Support Lending of SMEs
August, 01 2016
Kyrgyzstan - According to the minister, restricted access to finance due to a lack of collateral stands on the way of successful development of small and medium business. Some 40-50 percent of potential borrowers in Kyrgyzstan, especially in rural areas, are refused bank loans for business development due to a lack of collateral
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IDB Trying to Reduce Difficulty of Doing Business in Jamaica
August, 01 2016
Jamaica - The Jamaica government has received a US$100 million loan from the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) to increase access to financing for firms and individuals as well as improving the regulation and supervision of the country’s financial system
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India Opens Doors to Banking Licences
August, 01 2016
India - India’s central bank has declared itself permanently open to applications for banking licences, ending its earlier practice of issuing them only during rare windows, as it pushes for greater competition in the sector
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India: Banks Are ill, Long Live NBFCs
August, 01 2016
India - Clearly, there is a re-rating of non-banking financial companies (NBFCs); investors are pulling out of banks and putting their money in NBFCs as they are growing faster than banks and their quality of assets is far better
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