In this post, we cover the following: Financial education initiatives, the benefits of investing in girls, ideas for improving regulation, visualizing the Nigerian microfinance landscape, creative take on the state of post-conflict reconstruction through the lens of Harry Potter, and much much more.
If you can only read one:
Taking Stock: Financial Education Initiatives for the Poor (pdf)
source: Microfinance Gateway
Financial education enables borrowers to understand and have greater voice in their own financial lives. This report explores the landscape of financial education programs for poor households. It focuses on three aspects, namely, enhancing impact, increasing scale and sustaining access.
If you can read more than one...
The Economic Gain of Investing in Girls
source: BRAC Blog
Kiva and BRAC share a lot of the same values. Read about BRAC's investment in developing girls around the world.
Should Interest Rates be Month-ized?
source: Financial Access Initiative Blog
Part 1: A hot topic in microfinance has long been cost transparency for microloans. Read industry expert Jonathan Morduch's view on the value of using annualized percentage rates (APR).
Making Microfinance Prices More Transparent: Ideas for improving regulation
source: CGAP Microfinance Blog & Microfinance Transparency
Part 2: A hot topic in microfinance has long been cost transparency for microloans. Read about the work being done by the not-for-profit organization, Microfinance Transparency
Oikocredit - Social Performance Report 2010: Integrating Social Goals (pdf)
source: Microfinance Gateway
Oikocredit is among the world's largest private investors in microfinance. Like Kiva, the institution seeks out bottom and middle segment MFIs to grow and support in challenging markets.
Aligning Stakeholder Interests in NGO Transformations: Emerging Good Practices (pdf)
source: Microfinance Gateway
Kiva Field Partner Banco D-MIRO recently transformed from a not-for-profit (Fundación D-MIRO Mision Alianza) to formally regulated bank, allowing them to offer savings and build a more sustainable funding structure.
Boston Beer awards microloans to two Boston businesses
source: ACCION International Newsletter
Kiva Field Partner ACCION USA participated in an innovative competition to support microenterprises in Boston.
MIX Feature: Visualizing the Nigerian Microfinance Landscape
source: Mix Market
The MIX Market created this amazing map which shows financial access in one of the world's most populous and poorest nations, Nigeria.
Post-Conflict Potter
source: ForeignPolicy.com
Kiva works in many post-conflict environments such as South Sudan, Liberia and Sierra Leone. Read this creative take on the state of post-conflict reconstruction through the lens of Harry Potter.
Financial Inclusion for Youth: Reaching the Next Generation
source: USAID Microlinks
Learning Opportunity: Thursday, September 1st, 1pm PST
This Seminar will highlight promising practices from BRAC's integrated approach towards empowering youth in Bangladesh and Sub-Saharan Africa.
