A new documentary film by filmmaker, Gayle Ferraro, TO CATCH A DOLLAR: MUHAMMAD YUNUS BANKS ON AMERICA is inspiring, logic-defying, yet true story of one man’s idea, a strange new kind of bank, and the millions of lives it’s changed — around the world and here in the United States. The film will be playing [...]
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To Catch A Dollar In San Diego
Documentary On Microfinance In San Diego
Collaborative Capital is a 20 minute documentary that paints a picture of domestic microfinance in San Diego. Produced by Kaley Hearnsberger, recent graduate of Point Loma Nazarene University, the film interviews local microlenders and local borrowers to illustrate how microfinance is empowering individuals, creating jobs, and helping entrepreneurs live out their dreams. The film also [...]
2010 Summit Draws Interest In Investing
An influx of investor capital into microfinance has prompted the industry to re-examine its mission and purpose, one speaker at the San Diego Microfinance Summit said Wednesday. “You’re having a bifurcation in the industry,” said Terry Provance, executive director of international private microcredit provider Oikocredit. “With the overflow into microcredit now, that money has become [...]
Young Ambassadors For Opportunity Meet In San Diego
Looking for a way to get involved with other like minded individuals and raise support and awareness for microfinance? Come and meet the newly formed Young Ambassadors For Opportunity Chapter here in San Diego. See Anne’s invitation below. Join us for an evening of inspiration as we share with you the mission of Young Ambassadors [...]
Muhammad Yunus Speaking In Los Angeles
San Diego, this is just a short drive north and a very reasonably priced ticket to hear the most influential figure in microfinance speak live on February 26th at 4:00pm. Join the CSU Channel Islands community (students, faculty, staff, and administrators) as they welcome Dr. Muhammad Yunus, 2006 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and 2009 Presidential [...]
Africa – Middle East Regional Microcredit Summit
Join Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Muhammad Yunus, and more than 2,000 delegates from over 40 countries at the Africa – Middle East Regional Microcredit Summit to be held April 7-10, 2010 in Nairobi, Kenya. The gathering is co-organized by the Microcredit Summit Campaign and the Association of Microfinance Institutions of Kenya (AMFI). The chair of [...]
Young Ambassadors For Opportunity International
Are you a young professional interested in spreading the word about microfinance among San Diegans? The San Diego Microfinance Alliance would like to introduce Anne Edwardson, a local Sandiegan and supporter of Opportunity International’s microfinance work. Opportunity International was one of the very first microfinance organizations along with Grameen Bank and Fundacion Paraguaya. Anne is a [...]
HOPE International President Coming To San Diego
Come and hear Peter Greer, President of Hope International, speak about how to utilize microfinance as a tool in alleviating poverty in some of the poorest regions of the world. Some say there is no such thing as free lunch, but on November 18th there is! Please come and join us. Make sure to RSVP [...]
Microfinance 101 Course This October
The Microfinance 101 course is a 4-week session that covers the history, basic theories, and current trends in the microfinance industry, as well as provide an understanding of how microfinance is being utilized in San Diego today. Hosted by the San Diego Microfinance Alliance and the Point Loma Nazarene University Microfinance Club, the course is [...]
ACCION San Diego Client in the News
ACCION San Diego client, Lawrence Wells, was featured on KUSI news for his micro-loan funded business, DLM Marine. To see the video, use this link: http://www.kusi.com/news/goodmorning/44718117.html?video=YHI&t=a
President Obama Awards Dr. Yunus With Medal Of Honor
On August 12th, President Barack Obama awarded 16 U.S. and International “agents of change” with the Medal of Honor award. One of the recipients of America’s highest civilian honor was Dr. Muhammad Yunus, founder of Grameen Bank. Often noted as the pioneer of microfinance, Yunus began the afamed microfinance institution with just $27. Today, the [...]
San Diegans Support Project Concern Through Fun Events
Project Concern International is a non-profit organization that is focused on relieving the world of poverty and chronic disease. Motivated by their concern for the world’s most vulnerable children, families, and communities, Project Concern International (PCI) envisions a world where abundant resources are shared, communities are able to provide for the health and well being [...]
Mobile Technology and Microfinance
One of the most promising developments I have seen in my travels in the last few years is the proliferation of mobile phones. You could find them across the most distant reaches of India, and even in the poorest parts of Liberia you will find mobile phones and the towers that connect them to the [...]
3 Reasons to Support Local Farmer’s Markets
The societal and environmental benefits of shopping for local produce are overwhelming even though often overlooked. The economic benefits, especially in direct relation to local small business are even more impressive. This article aims to encourage and inspire local microfinance supporters to continue to support local small business by shopping at San Diego’s many farmer’s [...]
Microfinance Programs to Combat Rising Unemployment
The European Commission announced last week plans to create a 100 million euro fund to pour into existing microcredit agencies within the European Union. Intended as a plan to combat unemployment by allowing entrepreneurs the means to start small businesses, the program will launch by next year. The fund is expected to provide capital for [...]
The mission of the San Diego Microfinance Alliance is to raise the profile of microfinance in San Diego. Our vision for doing this is two fold. First, we simply want to share how microfinance can empower the poor and disenfranchised to lift themselves out of poverty. Second, we want to find innovative opportunities for the [...]
Local Finance Helps Create Dr. Clark Store
Purity means everything to Oskar Thorvaldsson because he wants his nutrition supplement products to have the maximum impact on his customers’ health. “Most supplements have extra ingredients in them, flow agents, release agents, coatings and colors, which are not desirable to all consumers,” said Thovaldsson, owner of Dr. Clark Store. Thorvaldsson buys fresh, high-quality ingredients [...]
One of the most dramatic effects of the Liberian Civil War was the massive migration to Monrovia of displaced peoples from all over the country. As various rebel groups pillaged and plundered throughout the Liberian countryside, rural Liberians found it harder and harder to live as they had in the past. As their small businesses [...]
Join the San Diego Microfinance Alliance’s lending team on Kiva! SDFMA is steadily gaining more team members and more loans for a bigger collective impact on Kiva.org Kiva is the world’s first person-to-person micro-lending website, empowering individuals to lend directly to unique entrepreneurs around the globe. On Kiva, individuals can loan directly to micro-entrepreneurs [...]
Obama promotes ACCION CEO to Cabinet Position
A great illustration of the rapid rise of microfinance is the promotion of a leading figure in microfinance to an important government position. Maria Otero, President and CEO of ACCION International, has been chosen by the Obama Administration to fill one of the six positions of Under Secretaries of Global Affairs who lead the U.S. [...]
Fostering a Liberian Entrepreneurial Spirit
Shopping in the commercial district of downtown Monrovia is eerie. Foreigners own almost every single business of note. The Lebanese presence here is strong, and their hold on commerce in the city is rather alarming. More recently Indian businessmen have moved in, but their presence here is less pronounced, especially compared to East Africa. Why [...]
Today we went to visit some of the centers in the countryside. First we went to Gbowee Town which was about an hour and a half outside of Monrovia. To get to the road to Gbowee town, we drove across Monrovia’s only bridge (the other one is near by, but collapsed) and past the “free [...]
Here is the Press Release from the Office of the Vice President. I have chosen to leave it as is. What the PR man heard is not necessarily what we said in some cases, but overall it was a wonderful experience meeting the VP. International foundation empowers Liberian women… Vice president Joseph Boakai has commended [...]
One of the biggest differences between the “developing” world and the “developed” world is the understanding and conception of time. Here, folks are laid back, and instead of scheduling meetings at 2 they schedule the meetings at “any time after 2.” Things always seemed to get pushed back until tomorrow, and in general stuff takes [...]
So my first day in Monrovia consisted of familiarizing myself with the community. I was expecting to bear witness to overwhelming poverty, a direct result of the catastrophic civil war this country dealt with for decades, and I did. What surprised me however, was seeing the detachment and almost parallel universe in which the development [...]
Microlending in Liberia with the Foundation for Women
I just arrived in Liberia last night after a harrowing tri-continent journey. As a surfer, I am excited to explore a new coastline, as a traveler I am excited to explore a new continent, and as a microfinance practitioner, I am excited to work on a new project. I am a native San Diegan, die-hard [...]
