Microfinance, Innovations, Sustainable Development

Atlanta: Birthplace of Sustainability?

2010-03-14T15:20:18.235-07:00

If Atlanta was the crucible from which these two movements sprang forth, why shouldn't Atlanta also be the place where a third movement will also originate - a third movement that will complete the sustainability triad and anoint Atlanta as the birthplace of sustainability?

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Enhancing Financial Inclusiveness: CGAP, Deutsche Bank, Grameen-Jameel and Islamic Development Bank Partner to Launch 'Islamic Microfinance Challenge 2010'

2010-03-13T10:36:15.172-07:00

CGAP, Deutsche Bank, Grameen-Jameel and Islamic Development Bank have joined forces to challenge the Islamic microfinance industry to develop new ideas for business models.

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Are microfinance institutions in a mire?

2010-03-13T10:27:50.113-07:00

Even as financial inclusion emerges as one of the top goals of government and Reserve Bank of India, Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), which are the pioneers of financial inclusion, are finding themselves in a bit of soup, strangely enough for fats growth and for big profits. So are MFIs doing too much too fast?

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Sustainable development: Definition

2010-03-12T11:50:09.456-07:00

Sustainable development is a pattern of resource use that aims to meet human needs while preserving the environment so that these needs can be met not only in the present, but also for future generations. The term was used by the Brundtland Commission which coined what has become the most often-quoted definition of sustainable development as development that "meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."

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Great female IT role models: Sheetal Mehta

2010-03-11T11:22:40.779-07:00

Sheetal Mehta is founder of Shanti Microfinance, which is a social enterprise charity that provides access to technology and capital for entrepreneurs in slums and villages in Gujarat, India.

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Boost for Mobile Banking for the Unbanked

2010-03-11T11:10:16.815-07:00

CGAP, an independent microfinance center based at the World Bank, today announced a new partnership with the UK Department for International Development (DFID) to expand ongoing global efforts to use information and communication technologies (ICT), especially mobile phones, to increase access to basic financial services for the poor. In addition to a 2006 grant from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and CGAP funding, DFID will provide GBP 8 million to the CGAP Technology Program.

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Microinsurance industry sees profits from the poor

2010-02-28T16:04:59.598-07:00

Slum-dweller Krustin bin Juri lost everything when floodwaters swept through his home and shop on the banks of Jakarta’s filthy Ciliwung river two years ago. But when the next flood hits, and it will because Jakarta sees frequent floods in the rainy season, bin Juri may have a modicum of protection thanks to a low-cost insurance policy that he purchased this month. He is among millions of the world’s poor who are covered for natural disasters by cheap insurance, or microinsurance, as commercial firms recognise that insuring the poor is not just good public relations but also profitable.

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Microfinance: yet another definition

2010-02-28T13:55:10.185-07:00

Microfinance is a term for the practice of providing financial services, such as microcredit, microsavings or microinsurance to poor people. By helping them to accumulate usably large sums of money, this expands their choices and reduces the risks they face. Suggested by the name, most transactions involve small amounts of money, frequently less than US$100.

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Bloom Energy reveals new 'Bloom Box' fuel cell technology

2010-02-28T13:45:32.439-07:00

Silicon Valley company Bloom Energy revealed its heavily hyped and closely guarded solid oxide fuel cell on Wednesday, heralding the technology as a likely clean-tech game-changer. The system is already in use by companies like Google, eBay, FedEx, Staples and Wal-Mart.

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Saving holds key to women's empowerment

2010-02-27T16:10:24.174-07:00

Once upon a time, Sumitra used to roam the streets of the Indian city of Ahmedabad, collecting discarded caps which could be recycled and sold back to manufacturers such as Coca-Cola.

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Nigeria: Clickatell Provides SMS to Microfinance Bank

2010-02-27T16:00:17.944-07:00

Clickatell, a vendor of messaging, is providing in-country SMS alert services to Satelite Microfinance Bank.

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Financial Women's Association Events Calendar

2010-02-26T15:46:42.558-07:00

A permanent Calendar about the events of the FWA. The Financial Women’s Association brings together high achieving professionals from every sector of the financial world.

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How to protect the world's most vulnerable banking clients.

2010-02-25T15:39:15.139-07:00

In reaction to the financial crisis, the U.S. banking industry and its regulators have been forced to seek new consumer protections that will put the industry on stronger ground. In marked contrast, one global subsector of the financial industry is moving proactively to ensure that client protection remains at the core of its business model. That subsector is microfinance, the provision of loans and other financial services to the poor worldwide.

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Kiva President Premal Shah on the company's mission to fight poverty by lending to entrepreneurs

2010-02-24T15:52:25.884-07:00

Kiva President Premal Shah on the company's mission to fight poverty by lending to entrepreneurs. Video at Forbes.com

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Nigeria: Data on borrowers now critical to lenders

2010-02-24T15:33:32.61-07:00

Ladi Smith, director, SIAO, in this interview with Daniel Obi, says Credit Awareness Nigeria Initiative is geared towards sensitising lenders on the need for credit information to avoid non-performing loans.

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Mobile money faces plastic barriers in Europe

2010-02-20T16:13:16.751-07:00

The ubiquity of the credit card and the impact of the recession mean the move to use a mobile phone to make payments and conduct banking is likely to be a slow and tortuous affair in Europe.

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Nairobi To Host Global Microcredit Summit In April

2010-02-13T17:17:57.2621444-07:00

The summit will focus on urban poverty by bringing attendees to visit any of the seven leading microfinance organizations in Kenya.

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MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: New Microfinance Bill in Indian Parliament Would Remove Microloan Interest Rate Cap

2010-02-13T17:13:22.111-07:00

A new microfinance bill that was recently introduced in the Indian Parliament would remove the cap on microloan interest rates. Although there would be no cap on interest rates, the regulatory body would “advise” microfinance institutions to keep rates low and would “closely monitor” them, according to government officials.

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Nigeria: Spring Bank Rewards Its Customers

2010-02-13T17:09:57.4276074-07:00

Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been advised to shelve its proposed plan to conduct examination for all managing directors of registered microfinance banks across the country.

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Micro loans, macro gains

2010-02-13T16:49:44.5915193-07:00

Will regulating the microfinance market in Egypt help breach a gap between supply and demand? Sherine Nasr seeks answers

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Deal agreed on sources of funding for micro-finance facility

2010-02-12T16:43:54.223-07:00

MEPs gave the green light for EU funding to help Europe's unemployed start up small businesses. Credit will be made available to budding entrepreneurs through a "microfinance facility" funded partly from the existing Progress programme and partly from unallocated money in the EU budget.

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Microlending site makes advances in France

2010-02-11T17:25:04.461-07:00

Online sites like Babyloan or Kiva have taken the idea of lending small sums to help lift people out of poverty to create a direct personal link between lenders and borrowers.

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MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Microfinance Association (MA) Launches Global Academy Program (GAP), Seeks Internship Sites for Students

2010-02-11T17:07:22.836-07:00

The Microfinance Association (MA), an international membership organization for practitioners in the microfinance industry, has launched its Global Academy Program (GAP). The three-month program, developed by MA and Marconi University of Italy, is aimed at graduates seeking to develop a professional career in microfinance or international development.

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WORLD BANK VIDEO: MONGOLIA: MICROFINANCE HELPS RURAL BUSINESSES

2010-02-10T16:55:31.553-07:00

In Mongolia, a microfinance system supported by The World Bank and its international partners helps create business opportunities in poor rural areas through the Mongolia Microfinance Development Fund and brings development to remote areas that have been severely affected by the global economic downturn.

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Angel Acquisition Corp. Announces 3.5 Million Dollar Private Investment for Microfinance Web Portal

2010-02-09T17:03:16.45-07:00

Angel Acquisition Corp. ("Angel Acquisition Corp." or the "Company") (OTCBB: AGEL) announced today that the Company has signed a financing agreement with a Private Investor to partner with Angel's new micro financing, micro banking and micro lending network www.angelsinaction.tv

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Bankers without Borders to expand microfinance programme

2010-02-09T16:42:16.756-07:00

Bankers without Borders, a nonprofit that recruits finance executives to volunteer their time and expertise at microfinance projects in developing countries, has secured a $3m grant from JPMorgan Chase to expand the programme.

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ACCION: Microfinance is a solid investment in economic growth

2010-02-08T16:38:59.228-07:00

Microfinance, perhaps best known as a means of helping small business owners in developing countries move out of poverty, is one source already in place in the United States. These organizations make small loans and other financial services available to low- and moderate-income businesses.

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Microcredit Offensive: Taliban Threatened by Microfinance in Afghanistan

2010-02-07T17:37:09.368-07:00

Shah Mohammad Mir is the director of the Helmand Islamic Investment and Finance Corporation (HIIFC), an Islamic credit union, which makes microloans to farmers and other microentrepreneurs. Some farmers that previously grew poppies with Taliban-provided inputs have used loans to buy their own seeds and other supplies to grow wheat and other food crops. To comply with Shariah, Islamic law, loans do not bear interest but instead are repaid with a 2 percent administrative fee. Mr Mir says that the loans, normally for no more than USD 2,000 each, have enabled over 30 people to leave the Taliban. As a result, Mr Mir has received threatening phone calls and had guns fired outside his home. He left town for a short while, but has returned to operate HIIFC’s three branches, which have lent USD 1 million to 1,441 people since late 2007. Regarding the unrest in his country, Mr Mir says: “If we can get rid of the unemployment that should bring security.”

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OPINION: Reinventing microfinance in Pakistan

2010-02-06T17:33:14.71-07:00

Poverty certainly emerged as the single most problem that lies at the heart of modern day crisis. It quite recently has assumed alarming proportions. Many efforts were made in the past but they could not wholly succeed. Among significant tools, the microfinance was also used for getting rid of poverty which quite recently plagued the whole world. There is always a room for innovation to be introduced to already existing structures. Though microfinance made some gains in alleviating it but with sufficient services the amount invested lie in the danger of being spent on the items of daily use owing to extreme poverty.

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Pakistan: Islamic banking to be introduced in microfinance

2010-02-05T17:42:46.61-07:00

The Governor State Bank Syed Salim Raza said Islamic banking will be launched in microfinance sector.

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Namibia: First Micro-Finance Bank Gets Licence to Operate

2010-02-05T17:20:21.165-07:00

NAMIBIA's first micro-finance bank is a reality after the Bank of Namibia (BoN) yesterday granted Fides Bank Namibia a permanent banking licence.

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About Microfinance : Yet another point of view

2010-02-03T15:49:53.749-07:00

Microfinance: Trading bread for briquettes—MFIs are a new type of charity. Just because the holidays are over doesn’t mean you have to give up on giving. While supporting traditional environmental charities is a wonderful way to make a difference, you might also want to consider giving to eco-oriented microfinance institutions (MFIs). An MFI differs from a traditional aid program in that it lends, rather than donates, money at a low interest rate, which allows people to invest in small scale entrepreneurial projects of their own choosing.

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Damian Von Stauffenberg: State Of Global Microfinance

2010-02-03T14:27:13.739-07:00

MicroRate is the first rating agency dedicated to measuring the performance of microfinance institutions ("MFIs"). MicroRate's rating teams visit MFIs and "kick their tires". Statement of Damian von Stauffenberg Chairman and Founder MicroRate. Committee on House Financial Services Subcommittee on International Monetary Policy and Trade.

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M&I to launch iPhone banking application

2010-02-02T07:43:59.149-07:00

M&I Marshall & Ilsley Bank is adding to its mobile banking capabilities by launching an iPhone application for retail banking customers.

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USAA expands mobile banking to Android customers

2010-02-02T07:37:37.376-07:00

USAA is offering mobile banking to customers that have Google’s Android-powered smart phones. USAA launched its Deposit@Mobile application for the Apple iPhone last year. Since then, USAA customers have deposited more than $300 million worth of deposits using their iPhones.

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KNOW A MICROFINANCE ORGANIZATION: Khula Enterprise Finance (KEF)

2010-02-01T07:22:18.849-07:00

Khula Enterprise Finance (KEF) of South Africa provides funding to financial institutions to be channeled to socially-oriented causes.

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Investing in Haiti's People, Microfinance and Opportunity

2010-02-01T07:18:30.275-07:00

"The relief effort is intense right now, and we know that Haiti needs food, water and medicine immediately, but Haiti will also need foundational support for it's economy"

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Gates at Davos: $10B vaccine program could save 8.7M lives

2010-01-31T14:40:28.329-07:00

Bill and Melinda Gates announced plans Friday to invest $10 billion in the fight against a number of illnesses including AIDS and said the record donation could save nearly nine million lives. Speaking at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, they said the 10-year program will focus on vaccines for AIDS, tuberculosis, rota virus and pneumonia.

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Leading Microfinance Leaders to address Microcredit Summit in Nairobi

2010-01-31T07:13:00.562-07:00

Microfinance leaders from 35 countries have already registered for the Africa-Middle East Regional Microcredit Summit to be held April 7-10, 2010 in Nairobi, Kenya. The Summit will be the largest microfinance gathering ever held in Africa and the Middle East. Her Royal Highness Princess Máxima of The Netherlands, one of the keynote speakers, will join Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Muhammad Yunus, BRAC Chair Fazle Abed, CARE CEO Helene Gayle, and Kenya’s Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister Mr. Uhuru Kenyatta at the Summit in Nairobi.

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What Otudeko told FirstBank board

2010-01-31T07:03:56.823-07:00

Chairman of FirstBank Plc, Mr. Oba Otudeko recentlyaddressed the board and management of the bank. In the address, Otudeko who was recently elevated to the chairman of the board, pointed the way forward for the bank.

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Is Mobile Banking Safe: Redefining Mobile Security through App Verification

2010-01-30T07:49:54.7223595-07:00

Is Mobile Banking Safe: Redefining Mobile Security through App Verification Author: Eric Everson, Founder MyMobiSafe.com

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Cell Phones Empower Pakistan's Poor

2010-01-30T05:27:44.059-07:00

A pilot program in Pakistan has demonstrated the effectiveness of pushing mass literacy through the use of cell phone text messaging capability. The five-month experiment, initiated by United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), targeted 250 females aged 15 to 24 years old in three districts of Pakistan's Punjab province.

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Women’s empowerment, subject of bilateral interest

2010-01-30T04:33:36.199-07:00

Women’s empowerment is one of the subjects included in the bilateral discussions between India and the United States, said Andrew T. Simkin, U.S. Consul General in Chennai, here on Friday.

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Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) Creates Mandatory Exam for Microfinance Bank Managers

2010-01-29T06:53:34.491-07:00

At the fourth Microfinance Conference in Abuja, Nigeria, the governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Mr Mallam Sanusi Lamido Sanusi, announced that all microfinance bank CEOs would be required to pass a CBN administered exam in order to continue managing their banks. A training program will be held during the first quarter of this year, with certificates being issued at the end of the exercise. Any bank that does not comply with the rules will have its license withdrawn.

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Innovation: First to market: a failing theory for success.

2009-06-10T19:00:46.6424009-07:00

Time to market has been a well-worn mantra of the electronics industry. Unfortunately it’s been elevated to the level of panacea – and it’s not. Don’t get me wrong. Getting to market early is a good thing. It’s just not the stepping stone to success that it used to be. Today it’s just part of a much more complex equation. Electronics companies and designers need to solve the whole equation in order to survive and remain competitive as a new generation of electronics products begs for creation.

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Nigeria: Savannah Bank Moves to Commence Operations

2009-06-10T09:09:07.4420801-07:00

The Board and Management of Savannah Bank are taking bold steps to ensure that the bank opens its doors to customers within the 18 months period given by the Appeal Court, in February this year. The Court of Appeal had on February 5, in the case of Savannah Bank of Nigeria Plc vs Central Bank of Nigeria et al ordered the apex bank to restore the licence of Savannah. The court, however, put a caveat that Savannah Bank had to recapitalise to the tune of N25 billion and meet other regulatory conditions within the specified period, before it could commence operations...

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How green can Europe become through creativity and innovation?

2009-06-10T08:59:02.4731927-07:00

The aim of the European Year of Creativity and Innovation is to promote creative and innovative approaches in different sectors of human activity and contribute to better equip the European Union for the challenges ahead in a globalised world. During this Year, a series of seven Brussels debates are jointly organised by the European Commission and the EPC in Brussels.

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China launches green power revolution to catch up on west

2009-06-10T08:56:44.3517287-07:00

China’s ambitious wind and solar plans represent a direct challenge to Europe’s claims of world leadership on cutting carbon emissions. China is planning a vast increase in its use of wind and solar power over the next decade and believes it can match Europe by 2020, producing a fifth of its energy needs from renewable sources.

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Kiva Launches Online Microfinance in the United States

2009-06-10T08:47:42.8030927-07:00

Kiva.org -- the world's first person-to-person micro-lending website -- has launched a pilot expansion in the United States, allowing individuals anywhere to make small loans to U.S. entrepreneurs through the Kiva.org website.

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Jewish & Palestinian Students Unite to Empower Entrepreneurs in the Middle East

2009-06-09T08:50:50.048-07:00

Jewish & Palestinian Students Unite to Answer Obama’s Call to Action in Cairo by Launching Lending Site to Empower Entrepreneurs in the Middle East.

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How Recession Can Help People Out Of Poverty

2009-06-03T08:43:41.121-07:00

There is a banker who is still feted across the world, collecting accolades and honours wherever he goes. The institution he founded more than 20 years ago is unscathed by the current financial crisis, and his opinion is more sought after than ever before as politicians and economists desperately try to fix our bankrupt system. Muhammad Yunus is to economic development what Nelson Mandela is to world peace.

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Sejal Hathi Empowers Girls

2009-05-31T10:44:19.292-07:00

Founder of an international nonprofit, a speaker before the World Bank, Presidential Scholar, a veteran in microfinance, participant in a discussion with the Dalai Lama — the graduating senior from San Jose's Notre Dame High School has packed more into her slender years than most people do into a lifetime. And she's not yet 18.

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Debriefing Jacqueline Novogratz

2009-05-30T10:53:19.262-07:00

Jacqueline Novogratz interviewed by David Serchuk (Forbes). Jacqueline Novogratz is the founder and chief executive officer of Acumen Fund, a nonprofit global venture fund that uses entrepreneurial approaches to combat global poverty.

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Dana Dakin: How I Started a Microfinance Program

2009-05-30T10:23:39.308-07:00

Be sure to read Founder, Dana Dakin’s Story of how she traveled to Ghana in 2003 on the occasion of her sixtieth birthday to find a village and start a microlending program.

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Credit crisis is nothing new for the developing world

2009-05-29T11:03:09.513-07:00

The urgency with which the Obama administration, members of Congress, and Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke have been working to keep credit available reminds us how critical credit is to the economy. These folks know that without widely available credit, our economy would descend into a debilitating depression.

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What Money Doesn't Buy: Microfinance and Women's Empowerment

2009-05-28T18:50:20.9108987-07:00

Kingsolver, the bestselling author writes of a visit to the rural countryside of Orissa in northeastern India, where she interacted with the Akandalamuni Women's Club, which has 15 members. "Like millions of women in South Asia, they started their own microcredit group. Attending twice-monthly meetings and putting two rupees per month (about four cents) into a joint savings account qualified them for small loans, collateralized by group guarantee. This year they borrowed enough to rent a five-acre plot for growing sugar cane, from which they share the proceeds."

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Muhammad Yunus: Lifting People Worldwide out of Poverty

2009-05-28T11:27:09.21-07:00

What began with a loan of $27 to 42 women in a small village 33 years ago has grown into a global microcredit movement that has changed the lives of millions of poor people around the world. Muhammad Yunus, founder and managing director of Bangladesh's Grameen Bank, was the guest speaker at Wharton's MBA commencement on May 17 and the recipient of an honorary doctor of laws degree during the University of Pennsylvania's commencement on May 18. Yunus spoke with Knowledge@Wharton about his successes, challenges and upcoming initiatives.

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Women’s World Banking, Ghana wins award

2009-05-27T19:05:35.168-07:00

Women’s World Banking, Ghana, (IWWBG) arguably the most innova¬tive microfinance institution in Ghana has won an award at the recent Women's World Banking Global Network and Capital Markets meeting held in New York.

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Africa banks on cell phones

2009-05-27T11:13:08.982-07:00

Africa's economy of cash handovers and stowed-away savings has long been a hindrance to the continent's economic growth, as well as a cause and excuse to deny credit to its poor. But now, at a time when 10 million Ghanaians own a phone, the world's banks, cell phone networks and aid agencies are coming here to flip one thing into the other — to tweak a few features on a sim card, circumvent some regulations, and voila: The ordinary pre-paid cell phone becomes something not unlike a checking account - a way to text money from person to person throughout this intricate economy.

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PERU: Microbusiness Helps Women Weather Crisis

2009-05-26T11:06:54.366-07:00

Microenterprise is an escape valve for social tension at times of crisis, and microbusinesses do a better job of weathering the storm than bigger companies because they are used to overcoming difficulties – a positive effect that is further multiplied when it involves women.

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Large Land Acquisitions in Africa Impacts on Poor People

2009-05-25T10:33:50.87-07:00

Land acquisitions are on the increase in Africa and other continents, raising the risk that poor people will be evicted or lose access to land, water, and other resources, according to the first detailed study of the trend. The study has been realized by the International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) at the request of UN Food and Agriculture Organization and International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD). It warns that such deals can bring many opportunities (guaranteed outlets, employment, investment in infrastructures, increases in agricultural productivity) but can also cause great harm if local people are excluded from decisions about allocating land and if their land rights are not protected. The report highlights a number of misconceptions about what have been termed land grabs. It found that land-based investment has been rising over the past five years. But while foreign investment dominates, domestic investors are also playing a big role in land acquisitions.

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UAE: First Microfinance Unit in Oman

2009-05-24T13:37:52.9062053-07:00

The first microfinance project in Oman is to be launched by PlaNet Finance UAE to give financial assistance to entrepreneurs.

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Lebanon: Microfinance Market Undersaturated

2009-05-23T13:42:24.946-07:00

BEIRUT: The microfinance industry in Lebanon is considered to be relatively small and is estimated to have a potential of 190,000 active borrowers, Ziad Halabi, general manager of Ameen s.a.l said on Friday. "As of end 2008 the market consisted of 54,000 active clients, which means that only 28.4 percent of the market has been served, so we still have a gap of 71.6 percent in the market," said Halabi during a conference held at Haigazian Univerisity in Beirut. The conference aims to discuss the importance of the microfinance industry in Lebanon and the challenges facing it in addition to the potential of its future growth.

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Role of Women in Indian Politics? Growing Stronger...

2009-05-21T13:47:06.47-07:00

India should work towards empowering women economically -- through microfinance programs -- and also encourage greater participation of women leaders in panchayats, or village councils, writes author Shoba Narayan in this opinion piece.

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NetHope: to share Technology

2009-05-20T13:56:16.409-07:00

NetHope has grown to 26 members, including locally based nonprofits Mercy Corps, PATH and World Vision, and major supporters such as Microsoft. Seattle has become a hub for technology and philanthropy, so it's not surprising that a nonprofit consortium combining both would find fertile ground here.

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Melinda Gates: Saving Money is a Lifesaver

2009-05-18T14:15:49.645-07:00

Innovation is helping to bring safe financial services to the doorsteps of Africa's poor.

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How Microfinance can Change Lives

2009-05-17T02:38:45.6723695-07:00

In the world's poorest countries, millions of children live in desperate need of the very things we often take for granted - food, medicine, education and safe drinking water. Without these basics, they are often denied the chance they need to ever realise their full potential.

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Possible to End Water Poverty ?

2009-05-17T01:52:03.4003595-07:00

End Water Poverty is the international campaign that aims to bring an end to the global water and sanitation crisis. The coalition is formed of like-minded organisations from around the world who are demanding urgent action and leadership from donors and governments alike. Only together, with one voice, can we tackle this devastating crisis that affects billions of poor people across the world.

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Pro Mujer: Women Micro Loans

2009-05-16T03:01:06.419-07:00

A teacher by training, Lynne Randolph Patterson never expected to find herself at the helm of Pro Mujer, a multi-national financial services company.

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Microfinance and Church Banking

2009-05-16T02:31:10.184-07:00

Religion can play a part in delivering us from the illusion that money is the measure of all things.

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Tony Blair setting Charity Foundations Empire

2009-05-15T02:21:10.543-07:00

The former prime minister is attracting wealthy donors to back his health and harmony projects. "The Blairs are using all their resources to tackle things they care about," said Sue Wixley of New Philanthropy Capital, a think tank that connects charities to donors. "In this case, the Blairs' resources are their contacts."

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UK: NHS must wake up to climate change

2009-05-15T02:10:31.715-07:00

Richard Horton: Climate change will have a catastrophic effect on human health, but the NHS could do much to protect people from it.

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Study : Better use of water to Reduce Food Crisis

2009-05-14T02:02:34.946-07:00

The challenge of meeting future water needs under the impacts of climate change and rapidly growing human demands for water may be less bleak than widely portrayed, according to the study published in the May issue of the journal Water Resources Research. The current approach to water management considers only "blue water," that is river discharge and groundwater, said the study conducted by a team of Swedish and German scientists from Stockholm University, Stockholm Environment Institute and Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.

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Africa gets $15bn to stave off recession

2009-05-13T12:37:14.4189109-07:00

International financiers ramped up efforts to stave off economic recession in Africa with the establishment of a $15 billion fund to support small and medium-sized enterprises that have been the main drivers of growth in the continent over the past decade. The fund, an initiative of the African Development Bank (AfDB), the French Development Agency (AFD), and Development Bank of Southern Africa, will support intra-Africa trade, boost lending to agribusiness, and finance key infrastructure that supports businesses across the continent.

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Microfinance remains 'resilient' to global market trends

2009-05-13T12:30:45.8976073-07:00

Microfinance has proven itself so far to be very resilient to what is happening globally, and its clients are not necessarily experiencing anything that is correlated to the events in the US, Bob Annibale, Global Head of Microfinance at Citigroup said on Tuesday.

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Obama Administration Nominates Microfinance Leader as U.S. Under Secretary of Global Affairs

2009-05-13T12:25:43.8115909-07:00

ACCION's Maria Otero to Serve as One of Six Under Secretaries of State; Tapped to Lead U.S. Foreign Relations on Democracy, Human Rights, Labor, Population and More.

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Nigeria: The Economy And CBN At 50

2009-05-12T12:47:32.684-07:00

The apex regulatory banking institution in the country, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has been in the news in the last couple of days for a joyful reason. The bank has every reason to be in a festive mood, having clocked 50 golden years since its establishment.

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Gates Foundation funds African think tanks

2009-05-12T10:46:08.9724475-07:00

The Gates Foundation has pledged $40 million to independent think tanks in developing countries, starting with a 24 institutions in Africa. The aim of the initiative is to provide long-term funding to organizations so they can produce sound research that influences national policy debate and decision making, said Mark Suzman, director of policy and advocacy for the Gates Foundation's global development program.

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SADC micro-finance players to form new strategies on fighting poverty

2009-05-12T10:35:48.7465489-07:00

The Southern Africa Trust is to present findings from the regional research study on micro-finance and poverty. Commissioned in 2008, the study was to examine the nature of the micro-finance sector and its impact on poverty eradication in the SADC region.

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India : Customised corporate education to yield ''demographic dividend''

2009-05-11T11:14:55.027-07:00

A fresher, integrated approach to workplace learning can have a positive role in India's ability to turn its unique demographics into a dividend writes Angie Taras

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Opinion: Will Britain Remain a Global Financial Leader ?

2009-05-11T10:51:46.9853893-07:00

For centuries, Britain has been a leader in finance and banking. Today we are setting out how we can remain world leaders. Not at the expense of others, but in partnership with them. And not by returning to business as usual, but by reforming, renewing and championing our financial sector so that it is ready and able to seize future opportunities.

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Portfolio Management For The Poor

2009-05-11T10:42:27.6090847-07:00

The World Bank estimates that half of the world lives on $2.50 a day or less. As global leaders scramble to stabilize the financial systems of the world's largest economies, they have an unparalleled opportunity to include the world's poorest households. Meaningful and inclusive reform expands financial access to those who need it most.

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Australia: National Volunteers Week

2009-05-10T09:22:15.9394417-07:00

This year, the week of 11-17 May has been declared National Volunteers Week, and Opportunity International Australia would like to recognise all the Ambassadors, volunteers and Board members who so generously volunteer their time, skills and expertise to help us with our cause. From university students and interns to industry professionals and experts, we have many volunteers helping us out across the country, helping us increase our outreach to more people living in poverty.

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Nigeria Microfinance: A fast growing market in need of funding

2009-05-10T09:13:59.4834013-07:00

At the end of December last year, Nigeria had 815 licensed MFBs, putting itself in the first position globally on the number of practicing MFBs. However, the Managing Director, Elim MFB, Mrs. Ifeoma Ana, said that in spite the number of licensed MFBs operating in the country, micro financing would remain a mirage to the people except positive steps were taken to ensure that the sub-sector was effective in alleviating poverty.

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Anita Borg Institute Honors Three Prominent Women in Technology

2009-05-09T10:58:56.146-07:00

The Anita Borg Institute for Women and Technology (ABI) hosted its fourth annual Women of Vision Awards banquet on April 30th to honor three leaders in technology: The evening highlighted the winners' accomplishments and contributions in three areas: Innovation, Leadership and Social Impact.

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Australia: Peer to Peer Lending Marketplace

2009-05-08T09:30:20.708-07:00

iGrin is Australia's first peer to peer lending marketplace.

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China climbs world innovation rankings at surprising pace

2009-05-06T13:06:26.158-07:00

The Economist Intelligence Unit has released its latest world innovation rankings, which show China climbing up the ranks faster than other countries. But while the emerging markets are moving up the pecking order, the developed world still hogs the top spots. Japan and Switzerland remain first and second respectively. The report includes innovation predictions for the next five years, and more gains for the emerging world are expected. China, India and South Africa will continue to rise. Even so, Japan, the US and European countries such as Switzerland, Finland, Germany and Sweden are expected to retain their top-ten rankings in 2013.

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Removing Poverty: Shanty by shanty, Morocco works to remove slums

2009-05-06T12:45:10.581-07:00

This seaside city is known as a rich stockpile of art deco architecture, the hub of Morocco's economic growth and the setting of an all-time classic movie starring Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman. But Casablanca is also the capital of a bleaker aspect of modern Morocco -- sprawling slums, where huge families are packed into shanties with tin roofs rusted by the ocean winds, and goats and donkeys munch stray garbage.

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Fortis Microfinance Bank Alerts Customers Using SMS

2009-05-06T12:35:51.392-07:00

Clickatell, messaging provider for financial services, has been selected by Fortis Microfinance Bank to provide SMS Receipts(TM) to thousands of retail banking customers throughout Nigeria.

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