Late last week, Queen Rania of Jordan met with representatives of microfinance institutions currently operating in Jordan to discuss the successes and challenges of the industry.  In Jordan, microfinance is growing rapidly, with more than 224,000 (predominantly women) active borrowers in the first half of 2012.  The Queen emphasized the need for more coordination and cooperation among the Jordanian MFIs.  The microfinance sector there is focused on increasing low-income families’ … Read More >>

The 19th AU summit in Ethiopian capital of Addis Ababa just ended. The overall theme of the summit was touted as “Intra-African Trade”. With 7 of the 10 fastest growing economies in the word being located in Africa, trade between old foes will be important for the prosperity and growth of the continent. The 19th AU Summit had a goal to share “Intra-African Trade” with other ongoing disputes throughout the continent. The border … Read More >>

As some of you may know, I spent most of the month of November in Ghana visiting Lumana Credit in the Volta Region. I’ve known the founder of Lumana, Sammie Rayner, for several years as a result of both being active participants in the Seattle microfinance scene. So traveling to Africa gave me the perfect opportunity to spend some time in Ghana with an organization I was already familiar with. … Read More >>

Check out what Opportunity International is doing — providing electronic bicycles to their loan officers in Africa as a test, and getting positive feedback. I definitely think this type of transportation would work here in the Volta Region of Ghana to help Lumana loan officers reach their clients more effectively. [via One.org via Opportunity International]

This guest post was written by Fehmeen, who blogs at Top Money Hacks. Micro-savings are perhaps as important is microcredit, if not more, because they help create a financial buffer that reduces the economic volatility of the poor. Realizing the potential benefits of micro-savings, many microfinance institutions are showing interest in developing this service. A recent post published my Microfinance Gateway mentions a few innovations in rural saving services in … Read More >>

As I’ve mentioned, I’m headed to Ghana on October 23rd to volunteer with Lumana Credit for a month. Of course I’m well aware of Lumana Credit, but if any myKRO.org readers know any individuals or organizations in the microfinance industry based in Ghana – I’d love your help to connect with them. My good friend Sloane Berrent, who is no stranger to microfinance having been a Kiva Fellow in the … Read More >>

On Friday morning, I visited Kito International here in Nairobi. I met with Wiclif Otieno, the co-founder of Kito International, and visited their office in the Kawangware community of Nairobi. Over the course of several hours, we talked at length about microfranchising, marketing ideas, Kito International, and life for youths in Kenya. Kito International is a relatively young organization focused on providing guidance and education to today’s street youth in Nairobi, … Read More >>

I’m really looking forward to my trip to Ghana coming up in late October – my friend Dan and I are planning to fly to Accra about October 23rd after a month in Kenya. It’s been a couple years since I last visited the Dominican Republic and got an in person look at the impact microfinance has on the ground, but I couldn’t be more excited to get back out … Read More >>

This article was written by Fehmeen who blogs at Top Money Hacks. Ever heard of interest-free loans in microfinance? Probably not, because some microfinance institutions need to cover their expenses and others are in it for the money. But Seeds for Development, which is a UK-based microfinance charity specializing in micro crops, is different because interest rates play no role in their business model. I recently had the privilege of interviewing … Read More >>

Here is a cool internship opportunity in Africa: Description On this project you will be working with a local Non-Government Organisation (NGO) in Dakar dedicated to providing micro-credit services to the local community. You will be predominantly working with a local community bank, set up by women for women, allowing them to setup their own enterprises. Highlights You will assist in the day to day activities of the community bank. … Read More >>