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microfinance

The New Microfinancing: SMS-Based Layaway To The Rescue

KickStart has introduced an innovative layaway program to African farmers so they can invest in low-cost irrigation pumps.READ»

5 Tips For Transforming The Micro-finance System

During a recent visit to Michelin, their CEO was proud to share an initiative where Michelin had allocated $2 million for lending to local small businesses in light of the economic crisis. Its success got me thinking, "Why hasn't the domestic micro-finance model moved to the forefront of options for small businesses today?"READ»

To Catch Something Let It Go

My mother and father had me marching for peace. I was just a few months old in my mother's arms. My parents, wearing long hair and chanting songs, like remnants of the '60s, spent 1971 doing what they could to put an end to a civil ...READ»

A Mobile Banking Powerhouse Born From Bus Fare Theft

A microfinance pilot project pioneered in Africa turned into one of the world's most successful mobile banking systems thanks to one woman's bus fare getting stolen. Now the service could make its way to the United Kingdom.READ»

KIVA   |  Comment

Kiva and Visa Partner Up, Extend Into Gulf Coast Region

Kiva, fresh off its expansion into higher education loans and one year after its entrance into the U.S. market, is moving full speed ahead to help Gulf Coast entrepreneurs recover from devastating setbacks.READ»

INDIA   |  Comment

Abusive Microfinanciers Have Prompted Lawmakers in India to Regulate the Industry

A new law is being introduced in response to frequent suicides at the hands of bullying lenders.READ»

For-Profit Microfinance Matures, India and Africa Lead the Way

Microfinance is maturing, with record numbers of borrowers, loan amounts, new international partnerships, and a focus on transparent reporting.READ»

INDIA   |  Comment

As Microfinance Explodes in India, Regulators Step Up Oversight

The Indian Microfinance Platform is launching this month, increasing transparency and standardizing reporting for the public domain.READ»

ACCION, the World's Most Effective Non-Profit Microfinance, Thrives on Constant Innovation

"The more successful a breakthrough is, the sooner it becomes obsolete and therefore one must move to the next stage," says the former CEO.READ»

KIVA   |  Comment

Kiva Lets You Fund a Student's Education, $25 at a Time

The pioneer in micro-loans expands beyond business and applies its crowd-funded model to education.READ»

JIM KOCH   |  Comment

Craft-Brewer Sam Adams Gives Back

Jim Koch, the founder of beer maker Samuel Adams, was among the first of a now ubiquitous trend of craft-brewers, nearly 25-years-ago. Today his company is a giant in the industry, but he's still committed to the community as a recent ...READ»

Bono, Beware: Dambisa Moyo on Aid, Microfinance, and the Problem of Celebs in Africa

The Zambian economist and author of the new book "Dead Aid" explains her beef with the U2 frontman, her love for the Chinese, and her high hopes for her home continent.READ»

Avon Calling: Could Beauty Be a Path Out of Poverty?

"No! No! No!" Oxford business professor Linda Scott does not use Avon products. In fact, she says with a smile, "One of the worst things that ever happened to me is that a friend of mine started selling Avon." ...READ»