If you’ve been looking for a microfinance platform focusing on women and girls, today is your lucky day! A new website called Catapult combines crowdfunding and microfinance to help women and girls around the world.  Launched at the Clinton Global Initiative, Catapult features a wide range of projects from child brides to family planning to education.  The site goes beyond traditional business microfinance to help the needs of women and … Read More >>

Whole Planet Foundation has started an initiative called Musicians for Microfinance as a way to engage the music community and its fans in awareness raising and fundraising.  The program features digital album and track downloads, in-store performances, and benefit concerts to help empower women around the world to change their own lives. To date, the Musicians for Microfinance program has raised 6784 dollars, impacting the lives of 245 people.  In … Read More >>

I was reading the Centre for Microfinance’s blog and came across the Map of Microfinance Disrtibution in India and thought it was worth sharing. The CMF has created an interactive map that they put together from data they have collected from all over India that show distribution by Country, State and District, and also allows you to drill down even farther with census data such as Women Population, number of … Read More >>

The Foundation for Sustainable Development (FSD) invites you to join them in East Africa, South Asia, or Latin America this fall to experience a different kind of travel—one that will bring you lifelong friendships, connect you with a powerful international network, and forever challenge the way you see the world and what’s possible. Each program is highly immersive, bringing participants on-site to collaborate with local stakeholders. Rather than work on … Read More >>

In this multimedia event, panelists will discuss how technology is revolutionizing the microfinance industry and the field of economic development. The panel will be composed of academics and representatives from three microfinance organizations: Wokai, a web-based platform for funding Chineses entrepreneurs; ACCION, a network of microfinance institutions (MFIs); and Rekan Usaha Mikro Anda (RUMA), an Indonesian organization that supports microentrepreneurs. There will also be a video presentation on Mifos, a … Read More >>

On Feb. 18, 2011, a group of young professionals will embark on a weekend-long trip to Jump for Opportunity in Orlando, Fla. They’ll jump out of a plane at 18,000 feet, raising awareness and funds for Opportunity’s microfinance work in Tanzania.  Jumpers can get there early for the Future of Entrepreneurship Education Summit on Friday, Feb. 18th at the University of Central Florida, organized by young entrepreneur Michael Simmons, and … Read More >>

MFI Connect is an organization that educates students of microfinance for thoughtful and productive lives and careers in the industry. The organization pursues this mission by providing microfinance education courses, innovative fundraising campaigns, in-field exposure programs, ground-breaking discussion, and access to competitive job opportunities.  Over the last year, the MFI Connect network has grown to include over 1,100 students, 37 groups, and over 150 universities in 60 countries! MFI Connect … Read More >>

On Monday of this week, SKS Microfinance made its debut on the stock market.  All week long there has been speculation on how this will effect the economy of India and a how a leading microfinance organization will do in the public market.  Here’s a list of articles that dig into SKS further: Indian Market: Stocks On The Move SKS Microfinance a fantastic investment opportunity. SKS Microfinance Jumps in IPO … Read More >>

Ever since the announcement that Unitus is leaving Microfinance, there has been a lot of speculation about their next step.  Ryan Calkins and the board at SeaMO have come up with a guide to the recent announcments: “It’s been a couple of weeks since Unitus unexpectedly announced its decision to shut down operations, suspend its involvement in microfinance, and eventually reopen with a new approach to poverty alleviation. In the … Read More >>

It’s time for another great SeaMO event for all you folks in Seattle.  SeaMO is hosting an August Microfinance & Microbrews featuring entrepreneurs from Washington CASH: When: August 12 · 6:00pm – 8:00pm Where: Ventures, 314 1st Avenue South (in Seattle’s Pioneer Square), Seattle, WA Price: A suggested $5 donation About: It is rare to have the opportunity to meet the people, who microfinance has helped. Usually they are only … Read More >>