“Microfinance” is defined as – the field within financial services in which companies lend capital and provide financial services to low-income groups or individuals who do not typically have access to these services, in order to provide them with opportunity to become financially self-sufficient.
The following post is part of the course work for “Live Exchange” the foundational course on communication for The MBA Design Strategy Program at California College of the Arts. The rest of the posts are presented here. By Brian Schmierer Microfinance has a long history of helping the bottom of the economic pyramid to build [...]
It’s been a tough year for the image of microfinance. Mohammud Yunus was removed from his Nobel Prize winning Grameen Bank in March and scandals have erupted due to increased debt and high interest rates in countries such as India. Is microfinance just a fad that is now approaching its end?
As generous as human beings are, an investment instrument will almost certainly bring more dollars than philanthropy. Can we direct this flow of capital for good? This year’s marquee sponsor for SOCAP is turning philanthropy on its head by providing impact investment options to the everyday investor. Instead of giving, users of Mircoplace can invest, [...]
Nearly 50% of Colombia’s 46 million citizens live below the poverty line. Microfinance organizations such as Colombians Supporting Colombians (CAC) are giving budding entrepreneurs a leg up by providing micro-loans and other banking services that conventional banks are unwilling to offer. Some $3.5 billion in micro-credit was disbursed in 2010 to more than 2 million borrowers.
There was an article in Harvard Business Review last week by Deepa Prahalad entitled “Design Lessons from the Consumer at the Bottom of the Pyramid.” Deepa is the son of C.K. Prahalad, who, along with Stu Hart and Clayton Christiansen, popularized the notion of the base of the pyramid, meaning the economic stratum containing the [...]
By Julie Graham RN/PHN May 12 is internationally recognized as Nurses’ Day. I thought it would be a fitting opportunity to recognize professional nurses and acknowledge the potential they have to contribute to sustainable change. Nurses have a natural fit with sustainability. They dedicate their professional lives to making the lives of others, and their [...]
The following open letter is a part of the Presidio Graduate School’s Capital Markets course. For one of the course assignments, students write a letter to an oversight body, government entity or other appropriate institution. The topic: changing the sector of capital markets that relates to their chosen topic so it reinforces principles of sustainability. [...]
The following open letter is a part of the Presidio Graduate School’s Capital Markets course. For one of the course assignments, students write a letter to an oversight body, government entity or other appropriate institution. The topic: changing the sector of capital markets that relates to their chosen topic so it reinforces principles of sustainability. [...]
By Sara Herald One of the sessions at the Social Enterprise Symposium held at the University of Maryland last Thursday featured tales and advice from four social entrepreneurs: Janessa Goldbeck from STANDnow, Steve Ma from Live Green Inc., Josh Nesbit from Medic Mobile, and Robyn Nietert from the Women’s Microfinance Initiative. What do these individuals [...]
The following open letter is a part of the Presidio Graduate School’s Capital Markets course. For one of the course assignments, students write a letter to an oversight body, government entity or other appropriate institution. The topic: changing the sector of capital markets that relates to their chosen topic so it reinforces principles of sustainability. [...]
Earlier this month the Bangladesh government removed Mohammed Yunus as the head of the microfinance lender, Grameen Bank. Yunus founded Grameen Bank in 1983. Yhe Bangladesh government owns 25 percent of the company. The reason given by the government for Yunus’ removal is that Bangladeshi law company heads have to retire at 60 and he [...]
The number of women within lending institution’s higher management has decreased over the past eight years, while the number of women receiving micro loans has skyrocketed globally. Women’s World Banking (WWB) believes that the decreasing number of women in leadership roles within financial institutions has severe consequences. The major concern is the importance of the [...]
By Jonathan Kalan, Founder of The (BoP) Project. This is the second installment from The (BoP) Project, a journey to discover, document, and share stories of remarkable social entrepreneurs, enterprises and innovations across east Africa. Michael Mwakilasa is not your typical Tanzanian entrepreneur. With a beaming smile, warm handshake, and a half-New-York, half-Tanzanian accented “Hey man!” [...]
By Gerald McSwiggan and Taryn Bird. McSwiggan is the head of the U.S. Chamber BCLC Disaster Assistance and Recovery Program. Bird is the head of the Global Corporate Citizenship Program. This post originally appeared on the BCLC Blog. What is it about Haiti that keeps philanthropists and investors alike coming back? One year after the devastating earthquake, [...]
For readers that might have missed me over the last couple of months (Hi Mom), let me catch you up on where I have been: Finance class. Seven days a week, several hours a day. Exaggeration? Only a small one. True, I have come up for air a time or two (Thanksgiving for instance) but, [...]
By Jonathan Kalan Four billion people on this planet live in relative poverty. While each of their situations are unique, most of these 4 billion people share a similar set of economic constraints, collectively placing them at the Base of the Economic Pyramid (BoP). Among their daily struggles, they face significant unmet needs, a dependence [...]
By Peter Glenn As we commemorate another World AIDS Day, we have some cause for celebration. UNAIDS reports that new infection rates have decreased 20% over the last 10 years and 56 countries have “stabilized or significantly reduced new infections.” Also, millions of people living with the virus in the developing world now have access [...]
By: Brendan Rigby “The microlending movement that was supposed to help lift millions of people in India out of poverty has in recent weeks fallen into chaos.” This was the lead for the Wall Street Journal’s feature article on the current microfinance crisis in India. The article goes on to shine a rather critical light [...]
The biggest hurdle to microfinance sustainability might not be its financial viability, but social acceptance. In reaction to local regulation changes, thousands of micro-debt holders in India recently stopped making loan payments even though they have the money to pay. Microfiance, an industry with a history of overcoming criticism and obstacles in offering small loans [...]
By Abby Callard, Beyond Profit So, you have an innovative business model that you think will improve the lives of millions of people living on less than US$2 a day? Next step: finding capital. Finding, and maintaining, capital is one of the most challenging aspects of running any new enterprise, and businesses operating in the [...]
By C. Sala Hewitt 2010 marks the 10th anniversary of the equally venerated and vilified concept of “Base of the Pyramid” first proposed in an academic paper by then business academic CK Prahalad. The concept gained considerable steam in business circles to become one of the millennium’s business game changers. “Base of the Pyramid” refers [...]
Andhra Pradesh’s government is considering legislation that would curb lending rates and avert abuses that MFIs often undertake in recouping their loans. These borrowers, most of whom are women, feel squeezed between the MFIs and the self-help groups (SHGs) under whom they work. But they may finally gain some help–their plight has caught the attention of officials who feel they can no longer just shake their heads as they read the daily newspapers, which have highlighted these deaths.
Lindsay Clinton, Beyond Profit This is the second post in a three week long series from Beyond Profit and Triple Pundit that will explore innovative business models aimed at tapping the bottom of the pyramid (BoP) market. There is a high probability that if you are compelled by the concept of impactful business, you’ve had [...]
Abby Callard, Beyond Profit This is the first post in a three week long series from Beyond Profit and Triple Pundit that will explore innovative business models aimed at tapping the bottom of the pyramid (BoP) market. More than 3 billion people worldwide live on less than US$2.50 a day—less than a morning coffee at [...]
Reporting from SoCap 2010: Convincing one wealthy donor to invest $50M to provide education loans to underserved individuals seems like a daunting task. But what about convincing 1 million people to invest just $50 each? Could you convince the millions of people that make charitable donations every year to instead make a loan to a [...]
This post is the part of a special series on Clean Energy and the BoP leading up to the launch of the report “Power to the People” in Mumbai on the 28th of September 2010. The first article of this series can be found here: Power to the People Part 1 The launch announcement of the Global Alliance [...]
Haitians have endured a most excruciating year. Recovery from the January earthquake has progressed far too slowly, funds promised for the relief effort have been slow to arrive–and funds deposited have often been squandered. Reconstruction has been painful–much of it has been done by hand. But technology should have a role in rebuilding one of [...]
As part of our partnership with the Social Capital Markets Conference 2010, we are featuring a series of interviews with key conference participants. Don’t forget to get your 30% discount by using the code “3P30″ when you register! Deborah Hirsh recently co-founded The Hoop Fund, an exciting new start-up which connect producers and consumers to make [...]
Until about one hundred years ago, most of the products we used on a daily basis were manufactured close to our homes, including personal care, food, and machines. Jobs and money flowed out of local communities as manufacturing and sourcing moved further towards an industrial global system in the mid twentieth century. Small manufacturers were pushed out of business, destroying communities that depended on these factories. These businesses must be rebuilt for local economies to grow and flourish.
By Bryan Stubbs While not perfect, microfinance and Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) have been shown to be an effective tool in aiding mircoenterprises throughout third world communities. The positive impact they have on alleviating poverty and empowering entrepreneurs have been well publicized (Grameen Bank or BRAC). And while challenges remain (high interest rates/impact of the entrance [...]
Webinar: Feb 17Greening Stonyfield Farm: As a consultant with Stonyfield Farm for the past 12 years, Switzer Fellow Tim Greiner will discuss efforts to broaden and deepen sustainability within the company. He will discuss the company's efforts to track its environmental impacts, barriers the company had to overcome.Webinar: Feb 29Product Scorecards for Sustainability: Product scorecards that detail and evaluate environmental and sustainability aspects of products are increasingly adopted by leading companies. This webinar covers the best practices in this area and a case study by Seventh Generation.
NY: Mar 19-20Wall Street Green: The longest running and most comprehensive environmental market event in the industry. The Wall Street Green Summit covers cutting edge content, industry developments and features the practitioners and the leaders of tomorrow. 
Bay Area: Mar 22-23GRI Certified Training: Demand for sustainability experts is growing rapidly as companies look for proven professionals. For companies, GRI trained employees mean faster implementations and better use of the GRI Sustainability Reporting Framework. Join our partner ISOS group for this two day session. Early bird discounts apply!
SF: Mar 26-28Cleantech Forum San Francisco: The 2012 Cleantech Forum San Francisco will mark the 10th anniversary of Cleantech Forums, the annual gathering of the global clean technology innovation community. Our theme this year is “The Power of Global Partnerships,” an exploration of how strategic relationships are playing an ever more important role in the future of clean technology. For a $300 Discount use code "VIPofTriplePundit " More Info.
SF: April 10-12 Navigating the American Carbon World: The must-attend event for professionals in the carbon landscape. Over the past decade, NACW has consistently provided informative content, thoughtful discussions and outstanding opportunities for collaboration.
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