Microfinance, Innovations, Sustainable Development - Asia

Wind turbine offers hope to African communities

Gerard — Thu, 03 May 2012 14:57:23 GMT

Wind turbines could also provide drinking water in humid climates following a breakthrough by a French engineering firm.

Eole Water modified your typical electricity-generating turbines to allow them to distill drinking water out of the air in a bid to help developing countries solve their water needs.

A prototype in Abu Dhabi already creates 62 litres of water an hour, and Eole hopes to sell turbines generating a thousand litres a day later this year.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

Microfinance: Loans to poor rarely transform lives

Gerard — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 18:41:20 GMT

The idea has a wonderfully simple and powerful appeal: Give a tiny loan to a poor person in a poor nation. Watch her start a small business – whether hawking tomatoes or fattening goats – that puts her and her family on the first rung of a ladder that will elevate them out of poverty and into the middle class. Repeat across the planet.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

World Bicycle Relief Reaches Milestone Of 100,000 Bicycles Distributed

Gerard — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 19:41:32 GMT

World Bicycle Relief, a not for profit organization created by bike industry leader SRAM Corporation to aid victims of the Indian Ocean tsunami in Sri Lanka recently distributed its 100,000th bicycle to people living in extreme poverty in sub-Saharan Africa.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

Is sustainable local development a persuasive alternative to microfinance?

Gerard — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 19:02:36 GMT

Milford Bateman has made a cogent case for community-based financial institutions that prioritise sustainable local solutions. Milford Bateman is perhaps best known for his strident attacks on microfinance as an anti-poverty strategy, including his sometimes acrimonious debates with David Roodman, another microfinance analyst. Bateman claims that, by diverting resources away from more productive investments and indebting poor people with no significant return, the microfinance "fad" has been anti-developmental, benefiting lenders most.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

New generation of social entrepreneurs put skills to transforming Asia

Gerard — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 20:28:23 GMT

Social enterpreneurship grows in area where neither innovation nor social and environmental problems are in short supply

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

Green Microfinance Encourages Sustainable Economic Development

Gerard — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 20:38:26 GMT

The conventional path to economic development is through the use of fossil fuels and the associated negative environmental impact. One alternative to encourage actual sustainable development is green microfinance, using small loans for environmentally beneficial or neutral business enterprises. Unlike traditional micro loans, conditions or incentives placed are placed on the loan condition to encourage the sustainable use of resources.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

A Report from the Harvard Social Enterprise Conference

Gerard — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 20:54:24 GMT

Conferences usually are not the venue for admitting failure. But on the first day of the Harvard University’s 2012 Social Enterprise Conference, Vikram Akula, the founder of SKS Microfinance who left the organization in November 2011, made just such an admission. In a speech delivered at the day’s closing reception, Akula described his experience first establishing the organization as a non-profit, converting to a for-profit model, and taking the company public in 2010. He recalled how Muhammad Yunus of the Grameen Bank criticized him and the SKS model, and observed: “Today, I can look back at what we did and say, ‘Professor Yunus was right.’”
“We really are at a crossroads,” The Economist’s Matt Bishop observed at the opening of the second day of Harvard’s Social Enterprise Conference. We’ve reached a point in time to rethink how markets work, and how more people can share in the benefits of the global economy, he noted.

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The microfinance catalyst

Gerard — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 17:54:06 GMT

So-called “impact investors” -- providers of capital to businesses that solve social challenges while generating a profit -- are the current rage in economic development.
US President Barack Obama’s Office for Social Innovation and Civic Participation recently convened more than 100 practitioners to discuss how impact investing could be unleashed in the United States and the developing world.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

A Small Innovation Leads to the Next Big Thing

Gerard — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 18:07:17 GMT

Meet ChotuKool. A refrigerator with no compressor, it is tiny, weighing in at less than 18 pounds. It can run on a 12-volt battery and can be yours for about $75. Most importantly, you can get it in some of the most hard-to-reach rural areas of India. “Chotu” means “the small one” in colloquial Hindi. It may well be the Next Big Small Thing.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

Bangladesh : Mobile banking takes shape

Gerard — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:06:12 GMT

Mobile phone use in Bangladesh is not a luxury now. Almost half of the country's 160 million population uses mobile phones, but very few have bank accounts. There were lot of talks in the past few years on how the big population could be brought under the banking services via their mobile handsets. The GSM Association (GSMA) predicts that by 2012, nearly 300 million of the previously "unbanked" will be using some form of mobile banking.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

Bangladesh : Mobile banking takes shape

Gerard — Wed, 28 Sep 2011 13:07:50 GMT

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

G20 faces obstacles in its efforts to spread good farming practices

Gerard — Mon, 19 Sep 2011 18:56:49 GMT

A lack of coherence among agricultural research bodies hinders the G20's goal of promoting farming in the developing world. Spreading good ideas and practices in farming sounds like a simple enough goal, but can be immensely complicated not just on a global level but also locally.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

China: Tianjin puts priority on innovation

Gerard — Fri, 09 Sep 2011 18:53:56 GMT

The coastal city of Tianjin, with its hundred-year history of industrial development, is now looking to transform its development structure - from energy- and resource-intensive to sustainable, high-tech and innovative.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

West Bengal: World Bank to plan conservation and development of Sunderbans

Gerard — Sun, 28 Aug 2011 18:54:45 GMT

The World Bank has taken up a mega-project, touted to be the first of its kind, for conserving the rich biodiversity and boosting socio-economic development of the Sundarbans area in West Bengal. "This has been done according to the recommendation of the Planning Commission of India and (the project) is expected to be complete at the end of this year," state's Sundarbans Affairs Minister Shyamal Mondal said.

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A scientist takes business education to the poor

Gerard — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 19:07:50 GMT

When a scientist has to run a micro-finance firm, a different approach is inevitable. That was precisely what happened when Dr Tara Thiagarajan, Chairperson, Madura Micro Finance Ltd, a neuroscientist by profession, was called upon to take over her late father's micro-finance business. Thrust into this new role, she suddenly had to grapple with a network of almost 20,000 self-help groups in Tamil Nadu. By and by, she discovered that they were going nowhere in particular, despite the micro loans. These were at best helping them to maintain their subsistence levels.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

Kredits Introduces Microfinance Industry’s First Regulatory Compliance Software Solution

Gerard — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 02:06:18 GMT

Kredits, a leading provider of software and technology solutions for microfinance institutions (“MFIs”), announced it has entered into bilateral agreements with MFI clients and regulators across multiple regions in order to provide the microfinance industry’s first multi-jurisdictional regulatory compliance software solution. In response to a rapidly evolving regulatory climate, Kredits is proactively meeting the challenge by providing its worldwide base of MFI clients with the advanced reporting and credit bureau support required to cost-effectively maintain regulatory compliance.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

Pakistan: SBP to launch £10m Financial Innovation Challenge Fund

Gerard — Sat, 12 Mar 2011 17:27:25 GMT

The State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) will soon launch the £10 million Financial Innovation Challenge Fund as stated by the Deputy Governor of SBP, Yaseen Anwar on Saturday.

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Pakistan: Development of microfinance banks, SMEs can boost economy

Gerard — Fri, 11 Mar 2011 17:17:31 GMT

Pakistan can boost its economic growth by encouraging development of microfinance banks, small farmers and small and medium enterprises (SMEs), according to State Bank of Pakistan’s (SBP) former governor Dr Ishrat Husain.

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Forecast: Global Mobile Transaction Value Will Near $1 Trillion by 2014

Gerard — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 22:28:53 GMT

Yankee Group research shows that while mobile transaction usage is growing, consumers show little willingness to pay for these services. The company's forecasts predict unprecedented growth in mobile transactions worldwide, with the total value of global mobile transactions increasing from $162 billion in 2010 to $984 billion in 2014. However, Yankee Group's consumer survey results show that less than 10 percent of respondents would be willing to pay extra for mobile transaction services such as mobile banking, mobile coupons and mobile payments.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

India: Inclusion rides on M-Banking

Gerard — Mon, 28 Feb 2011 08:28:33 GMT

Financial inclusion is a generic problem that affects most developing countries, where the proportion of unbanked is very high. It is, therefore, unsurprising that inclusion models have been deployed in various forms in many countries. Some, of course, have done better than others and we shall also subsequently explore a few models abroad to learn from what they have done right. India has had a fair number of initiatives in the Financial Inclusion space, and we cover a select few of them that are involved in m-banking and cards-issuance.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

5 Myths About Microcredit

Gerard — Sun, 27 Feb 2011 08:14:46 GMT

Microfinance was once a darling of international economics. Small loans between $50 and $500 to low-income individuals and small businesses were believed by many to offer a ladder out of poverty. But recently, microcredit has come under heat, often for inaccurate reasons. Here are five myths we need to overcome.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

Lies, Hype, and Profit: The Truth About Microfinance

Gerard — Tue, 01 Feb 2011 08:00:19 GMT

The backlash against microcredit questions the myth that the poor can easily climb out of poverty with some credit; or that microcredit can be financially self-sustaining. Microcredit is supposed to be a lifeline for borrowers, a winner for investors, and a self-funding route out of poverty for the world. The reality is far more complex. Thus, microcredit requires a delicate and ongoing balancing act between undesirable extremes. It's no wonder then that accusations fly when balance is lost.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

World Future Energy Summit Kicks Off in Abu Dhabi

Gerard — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 20:54:14 GMT

Abu Dhabi, UAE, may be overflowing with oil, but the Emirate is also brimming with ideas and commitments to a green energy future. Such was the key take-a-way at the star-studded opening session of the World Future Energy Summit 2011 this morning. The summit is taking place not far from the emerging city of Masdar – designed to be a showpiece of cleantech innovation and green urban planning.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

CERMI: Centre for European Research in Microfinance

Gerard — Sat, 15 Jan 2011 20:55:15 GMT

CERMi’s mission is to promote academic research in order to support the key stakeholders in the microfinance industry: NGOs, cooperatives, donors, investment funds and financial institutions, and to develop suitable frameworks to critically examine existing microfinance practices.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

Laos: stock market opens to boost economy

Gerard — Thu, 13 Jan 2011 19:37:41 GMT

Communist country Laos is experimenting with capitalism by opening a new stock market. Communist Laos opened the modest stock market Tuesday, hoping to attract capital to its largest enterprises and boost the economy of one of the world's poorest nations.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

FAO: Record high global food prices triggers fears of unrest

Gerard — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 20:19:14 GMT

Food prices hit a record high last month, outstripping levels that prompted riots in 2008, and key grains could climb even further as weather patterns give cause for concern, the UN's food agency said on Wednesday. Record high food prices are moving to the top of policymaker agendas, driven by fears it could stoke inflation, protectionism and unrest and dent consumer demand in key emerging economies.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

World Council of Credit Unions

Gerard — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 23:52:55 GMT

World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU) is the leading international trade association and development agency for credit unions. WOCCU promotes the sustainable development of credit unions and other financial cooperatives around the world to empower people through access to high quality and affordable financial services. WOCCU advocates on behalf of the global credit union system before international organizations and works with national governments to improve legislation and regulation. Its technical assistance programs introduce new tools and technologies to strengthen credit unions' financial performance and increase their outreach.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

World Concern: Reaching 153,000 AIDS orphans

Gerard — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 17:59:45 GMT

While it's sometimes hard to quantify success, one thing is certain – the ripple effect and long-term effects of good development work impact more people for generations to come than any of us will know.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

Al Gore urges China, US to build greener cities

Gerard — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 20:49:56 GMT

Former US vice-president Al Gore took part in the 2011 Global Urban Development Forum in Beijing. Gore said Thursday China and the United States -- the world's biggest polluters -- should work on designing greener cities as part of their efforts to tackle climate change.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

Three Innovation Takeaways from Asia

Gerard — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 09:18:29 GMT

The West is overly discounting Asia's growth potential. Innovation has never been more accessible. We're on the verge of a golden age of innovation. The human side of innovation must be addressed. More focus must go to solving the first mile problem... Written by Scott Anthony from Singapore

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

2010: Rapidly developing countries are innovation champions

Gerard — Wed, 05 Jan 2011 09:04:03 GMT

Top emerging economies are forging research collaborations to help the less well-off. The idea that poorer countries should catch up economically with wealthier ones before spending heavily on R&D was challenged by a report released last week. The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) report contradicts theories widely held by development professionals and international organizations such as the World Bank.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

Afganistan: Microfinance faces hurdles in empowering women

Gerard — Tue, 04 Jan 2011 08:42:42 GMT

More than 1.5mn loans worth $831mn have been given out in the past seven years, said the Microfinance Investment Support Facility for Afghanistan (MISFA), which was set up by the government in 2003 to coordinate the sector. Thirty years of conflict have shattered Afghanistan’s economy and infrastructure, leaving two-thirds of the roughly 30mn population illiterate and at least a third in dire poverty.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

India's Poor Reel Under Microfinance Debt Burden

Gerard — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 08:19:30 GMT

One of the most popular programs for helping the world's poor has gone sour in India. Microcredit, the practice of making small loans to very poor people, grew into a multibillion-dollar business. But microfinance companies have been accused of predatory lending and collection practices so harsh that they drove some borrowers to suicide. One state government in India has enacted legislation that will, in effect, put the microlenders out of business.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

Sri Lanka: Harassment of women will be eradicated - Minister Tissa Karalliyadde

Gerard — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 20:17:34 GMT

"Harassment of women and domestic violence goes back to centuries. It continues to be in force today in many parts of the world including Sri Lanka. It must be eliminated at all costs" said Child Development and Women Affairs Minister Tissa Karalliyadde addressing the Asian Forum of Parliamentarians on Population and Development (AFPPD) held in Port Macquarie, Australia on the theme 'Prevention of violence against women'.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

International Financial Corporation (IFC) to Provide Assistance to Crisis Hit Microfinance Sector

Gerard — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 19:54:41 GMT

In an attempt to revive the crisis struck Microfinance sector, the International Financial Corporation, IFC a private sector arm of the World Bank Group is exploring avenues to facilitate fund flows to MFIs. This is an important development in the wake of the industry suffering continuous setbacks.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

Shanti Microfinance Launches $772K MFI Fund

Gerard — Sat, 01 Jan 2011 02:24:36 GMT

Shanti Microfinance, a not-for-profit organization, is raising a $772,000 (£500,000) fund backed by UK and Silicon Valley entrepreneurs and venture capitalists. The firm has already disbursed £10k (USD) and plans to start its operations in Gujarat before moving to Mumbai next year.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

Global launch of GEO Legacy Guidance for sustainable golf development

Gerard — Wed, 29 Dec 2010 16:40:57 GMT

The Golf Environment Organization's GEO Legacy Guidance launched to widespread acclaim following previews at the Asia Pacific Golf Summit in Bangkok and the European Golf Course Owners Association Conference in London.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

Developing Countries Get Grants for Sustainable Development

Gerard — Tue, 28 Dec 2010 16:31:09 GMT

The Environmental Economics Unit at the School of Business, Economics and Law at the University of Gothenburg is being granted SEK 73 million from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida), to continue to support six environmental economics research centres in Africa, Central America and China for the period 2011-2014.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

Wokai: Contributing to Microfinance in China

Gerard — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 21:47:07 GMT

Wokai is an organization that allows people to contribute directly to microfinance institutions in China, which in turn lend the money to entrepreneurs in rural China. It is a non-profit organization based in Oakland, with core operations in Beijing, supported by individual donors, corporate sponsors, fundraising events and grants.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

Opinions: How Microfinance Lost its Soul

Gerard — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 16:46:20 GMT

Microfinance has lost its soul. Six fundamental shifts in the practice of microfinance have left it operating more like a for-profit bank and less like an innovative pro-poor movement.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

Lao stock exchange to begin trading on January 11 and get its first IPOs launch

Gerard — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 01:13:34 GMT

The Lao Securities Exchange is scheduled to start trading the shares of two state enterprises on January 11, state media reports said Wednesday.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

Opinion: The Myths Behind Microfinance

Gerard — Tue, 21 Dec 2010 16:40:31 GMT

Debate over the value of microfinance in the developing world appears to be long overdue. Arguments against microfinance center around the claim that it is a development strategy increasingly forced on the poor, and that those who are claimed to benefit from it the most--poor women--are actually its chief victims. Critics have long sought a platform to reveal the weaknesses and explode the myths supporting microfinance.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

Analysis: Microfinance and financial inclusion

Gerard — Mon, 20 Dec 2010 00:51:59 GMT

Microfinance has come under attack in south Asia. Politicians have lined up to attack the industry – whose practitioners make small loans, generally to impecunious rural borrowers – as a racket that preys on poor people. Microfinance brings a crucial service to poor people. Rather than being attacked, it should be helped to do an even better job of assisting them to assert their financial autonomy.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

Facebook for farmers: Technology empowers China's rural workers

Gerard — Sun, 19 Dec 2010 21:12:34 GMT

China Mobile's Nongxintong - or farming information service - launched four years ago. The company is currently focusing on expanding its delivery in China's west and south-west regions. "Building the mobile network and covering most of the country's administrative villages, we realised that there was only a network signal. In rural areas, this is not enough," explains Liu Jing, a local manager for the service at China Mobile.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

ADB’s $250 million risk programme to help expand microfinance to poor

Gerard — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 01:32:06 GMT

The Board of directors of the Asian Development Bank’s (ADB) has approved a Microfinance Risk Participation Programme, marking ADB’s first large scale private sector microfinance initiative.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

Asian Development Bank allots $10 M to microfinance, SMEs

Gerard — Wed, 15 Dec 2010 20:38:03 GMT

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) will provide up to $10 million for a private equity fund that aims to expand microfinance and small bank lending to poor, underserved groups across the region.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

Muhammad Yunus: Microfinance Guru under Pressure

Gerard — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 20:29:39 GMT

Nobel Peace Prize laureate Muhammad Yunus is under pressure after critics accused him of misusing development aid. The father of microfinance told SPIEGEL ONLINE the allegations are "a total fabrication."

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Microfinance: Little loans, big trouble

Gerard — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 22:27:39 GMT

Microfinance was supposed to mean economic empowerment for the poorest of the poor, many of them female villagers living in India's southeastern state of Andhra Pradesh. Instead, the sector has spiralled into crisis in recent weeks, where the state is blaming 57 recent suicides on aggressive loan collectors.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

ADB to improve dengue, disease monitoring in three Mekong countries

Gerard — Tue, 23 Nov 2010 23:04:53 GMT

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) is extending $49 million to expand surveillance response systems to help control dengue outbreaks, and prevent the spread of communicable and tropical diseases in Cambodia, Lao PDR, and Viet Nam. The Second Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) Regional Communicable Diseases Control Project, which is an offshoot of the first GMS Regional Communicable Diseases Control Project, will also target improvements in the capacity of health services and communities involved in disease control in border districts of the three countries.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.

Microfinance India: Is Capping Interest Rates the Only Solution?

Gerard — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 03:39:54 GMT

Capping microfinance interest rates will hurt the poor. There are better ways to regulate the industry.

This weblog is sponsored by Avgo.org and Photo Cyprus.