Category Archives: Microfinance
The Promise of Social Impact Bonds
Over the past few weeks, social impact bonds have received a lot of attention. That is because New York City has partnered with Goldman Sachs to run a pilot program aimed at reducing recidivism among inmates at Rikers Island prison. … Continue reading
What Do I Think of Microfinance? Pt. 2
This is part two of a two-part post on microfinance. Part one can be read here In the last post, I gave a rundown of the mechanics of microfinance and explained the criticism of high interest rates. Another criticism came … Continue reading
What Do I Think of Microfinance? Pt. 1
This is part one of a two-part post on microfinance. Through Kiva and Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation, microfinance became my entrée into this world. I knew very little about microfinance prior to finding Kiva, other than what I had … Continue reading
Posted in Microfinance
Tagged finca, Grameen Bank, group lending, Microfinance, Negros Women for Tomorrow
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Global Diasporas Create Economic Prosperity
The book review in the Wall Street Journal this morning discusses the Robert Guest book, Borderless Economics, which details how global labor movement increases trade, informational flow, communication, and technology. The topic of migration has been making the rounds, partly … Continue reading
The Myths and Realities of Impact Investing
“[Africa] is a wonderful place to really make money. We have one billion people hungry for everything.” Mo Ibrahim A friend posted an article on his Facebook wall titled “Why Social Impact Investing is a Crock,” leaving much to the … Continue reading
Saving as a Group
The following is a guest post by Gemma North, an associate with Saving for Change, a community finance program run by Oxfam America. ?In 2009, I worked for a microfinance institution called CREDIT in Cambodia. On a field visit, I … Continue reading
Posted in Microfinance
Tagged micro-savings, Microfinance, microsavings, saving for change
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Kiva Launches Green Loans Category
A little more than one year ago, I was working with Negros Women for Tomorrow Foundation, a microfinance in the Philippines. NWTF was distributing low-cost solar lanterns to its clients. The clients were prone to constant brownouts due to the … Continue reading
Posted in Development Economics, Energy, Microfinance
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Microfinance Documentary: “To Catch a Dollar”
In an example of the relatively smallness of the world, a new documentary called “To Catch a Dollar” about the Grameen Bank and Muhammad Yunus’ good works has just been released. I hadn’t heard about it before, but my old … Continue reading
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The Battle for the Soul of Microfinance
Microfinance is going through some major growing pains right now, hitting its first major challenge since it hit the mainstream in 2005 after Muhammad Yunus won the Nobel Peace Prize. The “silver bullet” of poverty alleviation that brought credit to … Continue reading
Posted in Development Economics, Foreign Policy, Microfinance
Tagged Microfinance, Muhammad Yunus
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Impact Investing: Venture Capital for Do-Gooders Takes Off
The other day a friend put me in touch with a friend of his who had just moved to Accra. She works the Acumen Fund, a social venture capital fund that invests in promising entrepreneurs in developing countries. The use … Continue reading
