World Vision recently launched their own Kive-like lending platform named Micro. They are the latest microfinance lending platform to launch, joining more established players such as Kiva, Wokai, and Microplace. It looks like the site was launched in September (also on UrbanMinistry), but I was made aware of the site from SocialEarth’s blog post today. According to their site, World Vision has disbursed 3,500,000 loans totaling more than $1.8 billion since 1993, has 604,000 active entrepreneurs, and loaned $396 million last year — so they are not new to microfinance by any means. Loan sizes range from $25 all the way up to $500+. Currently, Micro only offers loans for entrepreneurs in Rwanda, Mexico, and the Phillipines — but I’d guess they will be adding new markets in the coming year.

I’m certainly a fan of anything that brings microfinance into the spotlight and am thrilled that World Vision is tapping their existing donors to help raise capital for microfinance, but am yet to be convinced software development time and effort should continue to be spent on building technology to power lending platforms. As I said in August, I’d still like to see Kiva.org open source, or white-label, some of their software to other players in the market who want to specialize in a particular geographic area or type of business; that would enable development time and dollars to be spent building features on top of some of the great P2P lending technology that already exists.

For those interested in following Micro’s progress, you can follow them on Twitter here. Head over to SocialEarth for more details.

This month, the Grameen Foundation launched the Ingenuity Fund Challenge.  The Ingenuity Fund is a new program that inspires individuals to start their own fundraising efforts to help and inspire others to become a part of microfinance.  There are millions of people around the world who have ideas, with the Ingenuity Fund, Grameen is trying to tap into that resource.
From November 2009 through February 2010, Challenge participants will develop compelling, creative personal fundraising pages on Grameen Foundation’s website, and raise awareness of and funds for Grameen Foundation’s work through personal networks, social media and other offline activities.  By joining this campaign, not only are participants helping spread the awareness of microfinance, but the participant who has the most ingenious web page and outreach effort will travel abroad with the Grameen Foundation to visit one of their on-the-ground microfinance or technology programs. They’ll document the experience through blogging, photos and videos featured on the Grameen web site, giving a new voice to the global community that believes poverty is unnecessary.

Take the first step by creating a fundraising page!

Click here for the official rules

Evan Carmichael, a journalist, entrepreneur, and consultant runs a blog that ranks number one for resources and information amongst small business owners and entrepreneurs. He has been interviewed by the NY Times, The Wall Street Journal, the National Post, etc, and has business owner showcases that include Henry Ford, Andrew Carnegie to present entrepreneurs like Calvin Klein, Oprah Winfrey, Michael Dell.  Recently Evan has put together a list of the top 50 Social Entrepreneur blogs that are making a huge impact in the world.  The Grameen Foundation, which combines the power of microfinance, technology and innovative solutions to defeat global poverty, has it’s own blog, Creating A World Without Poverty, which was chosen as one of Evan’s top 50.  Check out the other 49 blogs that made the list.

The Green Children are a pop duo from Europe that joined together with Muhammad Yunus in 2006 to help raise money for microfinance.  Recently they joined with the Whole Planet Foundation in a new fundraising campaign for more microfinance projects in India. On August 1, they released their newest song “Hear Me Now” which is available on iTunes.  This is one of the first times that microfinance initiatives have been available on iTunes, which I think is a great milestone. So everyone spread the word because 50% of the proceeds go to fund a new microfinance project!

Source: Mother Nature Network – The Green Children fight poverty on iTunes

There is some exciting news in the microfinance world today – Dr Muhammad Yunus was 1 of 16 recipients awarded a Presidential Medal of Freedom! Given Dr Yunus’ importance to the microfinance movement, it’s no surprise there is lots of chatter about the news on Twitter today. Congratulations, and thank you for everything you’ve done to further the microfinance movement!

Here’s the news release from the Grameen Foundation:

Grameen Foundation is pleased to announce that Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus, founder and managing director of Grameen Bank, and member emeritus of Grameen Foundation’s board of directors, has been awarded a 2009 Presidential Medal of Freedom. Dr. Yunus will receive his medal from President Barack Obama at a special White House ceremony on August 12.

In announcing this year’s recipients, President Obama said, “These outstanding men and women represent an incredible diversity of backgrounds… Yet they share one overarching trait: Each has been an agent of change. Each saw an imperfect world and set about improving it, often overcoming great obstacles along the way. “

Dr. Yunus is one of 16 recipients who include Archbishop Desmond Tutu; Mary Robinson, former prime minster of Ireland; Senator Ted Kennedy; Justice Sandra Day O’Conner; and Reverend Dr. Joseph Lowery.

“Professor Muhammad Yunus’ unwavering belief in the power of poor people to help themselves escape poverty is an inspiration to all of us. Thirty-three years after he began working with and financing the entrepreneurial initiative of poor people outside his university classroom in his native Bangladesh, his challenge to all of us remains working to root out poverty wherever it exists. His leadership and advocacy, has helped create a groundswell that has opened up microfinance to more than 150 million poor families around the world. I had the privilege of working with Professor Yunus in Bangladesh for six years and I am especially gratified that he is being honored with the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his unprecedented accomplishments,” said Alex Counts, president of Grameen Foundation.

Deemed the nation’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom honors those who have made “an especially meritorious contribution to the security or national interests of the United States or to world peace or to cultural or other significant public or private endeavors.” Past recipients include Mother Teresa, Nelson Mandela, Muhammad Ali and Martin Luther King, Jr.

Click here to send your congratulatory message to Professor Yunus.

Anybody and everybody who has used the internet has most likely used Craigslist at some point or another.  Founded by Craig Newmark, Craigslist is a network of online communities, including sections that cover jobs, personals, housing, forums, services, and classifieds.  This week, Craig Newmark has officially announced that he is joining the Advisory Board for LendForPeace.org . Craig has alway been a supporter of peace initiatives in the Middle East, and with his experience as being one of the pioneers of community building, he should be a great asset to LendForPeace.org and can hopefully create some great microfinance initiatives in the Middle East and within the microfinance community.
Read the entire press release here.

Michael Cimarusti, one of the contestants on Top Chef is competeing for the Grameen Foundation. Top Chef has become a very popular show, so I think that this is great press for not only the Grameen Foundation but microfinance in general.  Check out Michael’s video about why he is supporting Grameen:

In support of Chef Cimarusti’s effort, the Grameen Foundation is asking its supporters to help raise an additional $10,000 in online donations around the episode’s airing on July 22nd.  To help support the Grameen Founation donate here.

Here’s a cool article about the Former Indian president Dr APJ Abdul Kalam visiting Muhammad Yunus at the Grameen Headquarters in Dhaka:

Former Indian president Dr APJ Abdul Kalam arrived in Dhaka yesterday afternoon on a three-day visit.
He arrived at the Zia International Airport by a Jet Airways flight at around 5:00pm.  Dr Modasser Ali, health adviser to the Prime Minister (PM), Hasan Mahmud, state minister for foreign affairs, Dr Gowher Rizvi, newly appointed adviser to the PM and the government high officials received him at the airport.  Dr Kalam, the 11th president of India from July 25, 2002 to July 25, 2007, left the airport in a motorcade amid tight security.  The former Indian president visited Grameen Bank headquarters at Mirpur and met Nobel laureate Prof Muhammad Yunus.

Check out the rest of the article over at The Daily Star

The Mifi Report launched a new forums section on their website earlier this month.  It is a great place to start or read discussions about news articles about microfinance.  It is still early in it’s launch, so let’s hear any feedback you have.

Via CGAP:

Entries from photographers of all levels and every region of the world over the past three years have been shared and exhibited in different venues around the world. Winning photos from last year’s Contest are currently on display at Citigroup Centre in London. We hope you’ll share your vision of microfinance and help tell the world about microfinance by participating in this year’s Contest.

Visit www.cgap.org/photocontest to enter or to see images from the past Contest.