Roger Richter for The Grameen Creative Lab.

Muhammad Yunus, the economist who founded Bangladesh’s Grameen Bank, recently visited Mumbai to speak to India Ink about his vision of “social businesses,” his forced departure from Grameen and the recent controversies that have dogged micro-finance in India and elsewhere.  To view the interview text and read more, please visit The New York Times website.

The 2011 Summit, held between November 13th and November 18th in Spain, addressed issues such as poverty outreach, over-indebtedness and unethical collection practices, transformation in microfinance, and building partnerships with corporations.  To watch the opening summit session, “Beyond ‘Ethical’ Financial Services: Developing a Seal of Excellence for Poverty Outreach and Transformation in Microfinance” presented by John de Wit, the managing director of Small Enterprise Foundation in South Africa please click the link below.
“Beyond ‘Ethical’ Financial Services” Plenary Session

For more highlights or to receive more information about  the Global Microcredit Summit, please visit their website.

Microfinance 102 will be held at the Great Hall at University of California-San Diego (UCSD) from 6:00pm – 8:00pm on Tuesdays, April 12, April 19, and May 3, 2011.

 Register Today!

April 12 – Video conference with Chuck Waterfield, CEO & President of MicroFinance Transparency

April 19- Latest Research – Craig McIntosh of IR/PS, the School for International Relations and Pacific Studies

May 3 – John De Wit of Small Enterprise Foundation

Click HERE for more information on these speakers and sessions.

Edited by Justine Darling, USD Graduate Student

If you need assistance registering, please contact us.

One of the many programs that VIA International has been instrumental in developing for communities is a special initiative called the Family Financial Security Program.  More than 700 loans have been made for small-business ventures and home improvements in San Diego and across the border. This impactful enterprise encourages loans for the sale of homemade items, resale of items in community markets, and loans for family emergencies and home improvement. In only 6 years, 741 loans totaling $289,914 were disbursed to individual families and women’s groups. These loans generated $43,211 in interest making it possible to fund even more entrepreneurial ideas and covering up to 20% of the operating costs of the program. Almost 100% of loans have been repaid with interest through this initiative.

To find out more about this incredibly successful model of community based microloans go to  their website.

Currently three graduate students are supporting the program to develop a growth strategy to encourage more participation and move the program further toward financial self-sufficiency.To get involved contact: Elisa Sabatini at jrumi@mac.com

VIA International Events coming up:

Clinton Global Initiative (panel on border poverty): April 2, 2011

San Diego Micro Finance Alliance Summit (panel on international microcredit): April 28, 2011

Edited by Justine Darling, USD Student

Each year there are people around the world who celebrate International Women’s Day. This tradition actually had its beginnings in the early 1900’s, but March 19^th 1911 is often cited as the first International Women’s Day. This first celebration was the result of a decision made by 100 women from 17 countries at the International Conference of Working Women in 1910. Since then this event has grown in importance and impact. In some countries, it is even a national holiday!

This year on March 6^th from 2-4pm at the Great Hall, on UCSD’s campus, the event will feature local women and the organizations that support them. Each of the four sponsoring organizations provides invaluable support to the women and communities they serve. Participants at this event can meet microfinance loan recipients, learn about the benefits of microfinance and even learn how to cook some of their delicious recipes!

Check Out The Press Release

To learn more about the four event sponsors, please check out the links to their websites below:

http://womenempowerment.org

http://ihouse.ucsd.edu/

http://women.ucsd.edu/

http://ucsdepteam.webs.com/

http://unasd.org/

For even more information about International Women’s Day, check out:

http://www.internationalwomensday.com

Until next time, take care!

Edited by Daniel Valcazar II, USD Student

As Dr. Liu described it, “This course is a globalization course with an international component.” It is the “international component” that naturally raises eyebrows and generates interest, but this component is only the beginning. On the weekend of November 5-7, 2010, students journeyed to Mexicali to participate in various, Via International coordinated, community service-learning projects. The projects allowed students to interface with recipients of micro-enterprise loans. In addition, these microfinance projects across the border also served to deepen student learning about poverty alleviation programs. This new awareness and interaction led to the most important step, an opportunity to take action.

Following the immersion and educational experience the students were invited to contribute to the La MUVA Coalition Fund, (for more information please see: http://www.sandiego.edu/insideusd/?p=10777) affiliated with the San Diego Microfinance Alliance, to demonstrate the power of microfinance loans. This invitation was graciously accepted and the class raised enough money to provide a $250 loan to a deserving microfinance participant.

Once this donation was processed it was time to select the recipient. The recipient’s name was Evangelina Alarcon and she participates in the microfinance group that meets in Chula Vista (see Building Friendships, Building Business). She has a business selling perfume, children’s toys, and handmade crafts. She participated in the Alternative Gift Fair (see Microfinance at USD’s Alternative Gift Fair) at USD and generated over $200 in sales. This was her first microloan and it will allow her to purchase additional supplies to continue growing her business. While this act of generosity took place domestically, it clearly realizes the goal of a course like Social Change.

In closing, we would like to honor the creativity and commitment to social change demonstrated by Dr. Liu and Dr. Kelly. This additional microloan was a direct result of Dr. Liu and Dr. Kelly’s innovative curriculum.  The students not only learned about Social Change, they participated in its achievement.

Until next time, take care!

Written by Daniel Valcazar II, USD student

Fonkoze, roughly translated, means “Shoulder to Shoulder” in Creole. As its name implies, this microbank has worked closely with the people of Haiti by “building the economic foundations for democracy in Haiti by providing the rural poor with the tools they need to lift themselves out of poverty.” Fortunately, great minds and hearts quickly connect to generate larger levels of success and support. This has led Fonkoze to develop a partnership with the Grameen Foundation, an important partner with the San Diego Microfinance Alliance.

While San Diego is far from being ”shoulder to shoulder” with Haiti, students from Point Loma Nazarene University and the University of San Diego participated in $2 Challenges to raise awareness and funds for those in Haiti earlier this year. Both of these schools have partnerships with the San Diego Microfinance Alliance and a desire to eliminate poverty through awareness and action. Both schools continue to develop microfinance clubs and events on their respective campuses.

A recent article in the New York Times highlights the importance of microfinance initiatives, particularly in Haiti. It demonstrates how microfinance can succeed where institutional lenders would fail. Microfinance initiatives may not yet have the same level of funds of traditional banking institutions, but they arguably make a larger impact upon the lives of people they serve.

Please check out the article from the New York Times here.

Please also take a moment to learn more about Fonkoze and their efforts in Haiti.

Until next time, take care!

Written by Daniel Valcazar II, USD student

On Sunday, November 14 from 2:30-6pm the Foundation for Women will be holding another Microenterprise Marketplace Bazaar. This bazaar will be reoccurring every other week from 11am-4pm, for those who can’t make it this Sunday. This bazaar will include many of the young women featured in the Purple Pages that work with the Foundation for Women. If you’re not familiar with the Purple Pages, I’d invite you to check them out.

The Purple Pages serve as a directory of the women working with the Foundation. These pages include a picture, contact information, location, and type of product or service the women provide. There are over 10-pages of entrepreneurs with more than 5 areas of expertise. The categories listed include: jewelry, food, apparel & accessories, health & beauty, arts & flowers, housecleaning & misc skills.

As you read this I hope you’re not watching the clock waiting for lunch. I know all this talk of home cooked meals and tamales have me salivating. I don’t mean to detract from the fact that many other vendors not selling home cooked food will be participating. I am just approaching this marketing opportunity using the programming mantra I know best, where there’s food there’s a crowd. Thus, if you’re interested in attending the address is: 695 Ballantyne Street El Cajon, CA 92021. You can also find more information and the Purple Pages (click on the purple “Meet our Vendors” button in the News & Events section) at foundationforwomen.org.

Until next time, take care!

Written by Daniel Valcazar II, USD student

This is what Microlinks.org has done for conferences focused on microenterprise and microfinance. Unfortunately, it is not within the scope of this blog to share all the great work that Microlinks and USAID are doing for the microfinance community. Suffice it to say that Microlinks “is a knowledge sharing family of applications and tools designed to improve the impact of USAID microenterprise programs and activities.” As a result, you can decide to participate in the conference based on your interest rather than your budget or schedule!

 The highlight of this blog is the Speakers Corner starting tomorrow, October 5, 2010, entitled, “Why Integrate Microfinance Health Services?” Each Speakers Corner virtual conference brings together professionals and interested participants from around the world to share their experiences. The virtual conference starting tomorrow will include discussion topics surrounding the benefits and challenges of integrating microfinance and health protection services. Thus, if you’re interested check out http://microlinks.org/mfhealth to learn more and participate! Until next time, take care!

Written by Daniel Valcazar II, USD Student

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 world.  Though we in the west have seen a bazillion iterations of mobile phones, with gadgets from cameras to mp3 players, most phones in Liberia are still rather simple.  While some advanced technology has made it here, the vast majority of phones look just like the ones we used 10 years ago.  Don’t get me wrong, these phones aren’t without their technological advancements: their battery lives are extraordinarily long, they utilize built in LED flashlights (for frequent power outages), and they are quite durable. 

Mobile phones have made inroads in parts of the world that have been slow to modernize, like this remote village we visited in Nimba county near Guinea.  The combination of incredible functionality and practicality has contributed to their success.   One of the most exciting parts of mobile phone penetration in countries like Liberia though, is its relevance to economic development.  Mobile phones can not only connect families and friends torn apart by war and economically motivated migration, they can also serve as platforms on which to deliver new and valued services. 

Mobile technology is quite useful in the financial sector, handsets can be used as vehicles to transfer money, access accounts, make purchases, and pay bills.  Though many of these technologies are currently in the development stage, there are examples across the world of success stories, like ALW, M Pesa, etc.  In Liberia, the biggest mobile company, Lonestar already allows people to transfer money between phones, but they have yet to tie up with any banks and offer joint services.

Foundation for Women Liberia had an interesting meeting with Lonestar recently.  They are keen to get involved in these kinds of transactions, after all, more transactions equals more fees.  Interestingly enough, they had already honed in on another one of the mobile phone’s biggest benefits, its utility to small-scale producers in accessing market and weather information.  Lonestar had already started discussions with one of the largest banks in Liberia, Ecobank to tie up accounts and mobile phones.  As we are loyal Ecobank account holders, and see advantages in a partnership to utilize mobile technology. Hopefully we can move forward with the partnership.  Not only do FFW women across Liberia want phones to be in touch with their family and friends, their lives could be made so much easier if they could gather market information and make instant financial transactions using their handsets.  Here’s to hoping a partnership works out, and that technology’s benefits extend to the bottom of the pyramid in Liberia.