Subscribe via RSS
Subscribe via EmailBlog Archives
Credit Suisse’s Microfinance Work Recognized at the Financial Times/IFC Sustainable Finance Awards
would like to offer our congratulations to Credit Suisse. They were awarded a special commendation for their program in the Sustainable Global Bank of the Year category at the Financial Times/International Finance Corporation Sustainable Finance Awards. The annual FT/IFC Sustainable Finance Awards, now in their seventh year, are the major global awards for environmentally- and Read more…
Tagged agent network, ATMs, awards, biometric technology, biometrics, capacity-building, Cell phone banking, Cell Phones, Clients, Colombia, Credit Suisse, Electronic wallet strategy, Financial services, Financial Times, Ghana, Insurance, International finance corporation, Loans, Malawi, MFI, Microfinance, Microinsurance, Mobile Banking, mobile banks, Opportunity International, POS devices, Rural Outreach, Savings, strategic partners, sustainable finance award, Technology, Temenos T24
Check It Out! Credit Suisse Reports on the Impact of Microfinance & Technology in Malawi
We’re pleased to announce that Opportunity International is featured in this month’s Credit Suisse Bulletin. The four-page article, which was the result of Credit Suisse’s visit to Opportunity Malawi last year, is located on pages 42-45. Click here to see a complete copy of the Bulletin or read the story online. In addition, Credit Suisse has Read more…
Tagged Africa, ATMs, biometric fingerprint technology, biometric technology, Cell phone banking, Clients, Credit Suisse, Electronic wallet strategy, Financial literacy programs, financial literacy training, Loan Officer, Loans, Malawi, MFI, Microfinance, Mobile Banking, mobile banking vehicle, mobile phone banking, Opportunity International, Opportunity Malawi, Poverty, regional manager, Rural Outreach, Savings, Technology, Training, Trust Groups, Women
YAO Member on Chicago Microfinance Conference & How Innovations Expand the Reach of Savings
The following guest post was written by Lauren Dillon, a co-chair of the Chicago chapter of Young Ambassadors for Opportunity (YAO) who works at Illinois-based nonprofit Oasis International. Innovation is at the heart of microfinance. It’s also the engine that propels it. Innovation is packed with chance, risk, fun, adventure! And, when coupled with microfinance, Read more…
Tagged 2011 Chicago Microfinance Conference, Africa, biometric technology, biometrics, CARE, Cell phone banking, Chicago, Chicago Microfinance Conference, DePaul University, Education, Ending Poverty, Entrepreneurs, Financial services, Innovation, Malawi, MFI, MicroDreams, Microfinance, Mobile Banking, mobile phone banking, Oasis International, Opportunity International, Opportunity International Bank of Malawi, Opportunity Malawi, Poverty, Savings, Simona Haiduc, Technology, Tuition savings accounts, YAO, YAO-Chicago, Young Ambassadors for Opportunity, young entrepreneurs, Young Professionals
Chicago Microfinance Conference: Technology Innovations and the Future of Microfinance
At Friday’s Chicago Microfinance Conference at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, I had the opportunity to attend the morning breakout session, “Innovations in Microfinance.” In the past 40 years, the microfinance industry has grown to its current level whereby MFIs are operating in virtually every country. In this dynamic and rapidly growing Read more…
Tagged 2011 Chicago Microfinance Conference, ATMs, biometric technology, Booth School of Business, CARE, Cell phone banking, Chicago Microfinance Conference, Clients, hub-and-spoke model, Kenya, Malawi, MicroDreams, Microfinance, mobile banking vehicle, mobile phone banking, OIBM, Opportunity International Bank of Malawi, Opportunity Malawi, point-of-sale devices, POS devices, Poverty, Rural banking, Rural Outreach, Rwanda, Satellite bank branch, Savings account, Technology, University of Chicago, Women
The Christian Science Monitor on Biometrics & Mobile Money at Opportunity Malawi
The Christian Science Monitor today posted an article entitled, “Villages Leapfrog the Grid with Biometrics and Mobile Money,” which lauds these technologies as a way for people at the bottom of the economic pyramid to access financial services and protect themselves in the case of drought and disasters. Today’s story is part of a series Read more…
Tagged Africa, Aleksandr-Alain Kalanda, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, biometric technology, biometrics, Cell phone banking, Cell Phones, Crop insurance, Ending Poverty, Financial services, Fingerprint, funeral insurance, Gates Foundation, Kenya, life insurance, M-banking, M-PESA, Malawi, MFI, Microfinance, Mobile Banking, mobile phone banking, Mobile Phones, OIBM, Opportunity International, Opportunity International Bank of Malawi, Opportunity Malawi, Poverty, South Africa, Technology, The Christian Science Monitor, what we're reading
In the News: NPR on Savings at Opportunity Malawi
The NPR website has included a story on Opportunity International’s work in bringing microsavings programs to the people of Malawi. The story featured Opportunity Malawi CEO, Aleksandr-Alain Kalanda, and our pioneering work with the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, including an example of just one of our many successful banking outlets in Malawi. As of Read more…
Tagged Africa, Aleksandr Kalanda, Aleksandr-Alain Kalanda, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, biometric technology, Clients, Ending Poverty, Financial services, Loans, Malawi, MFI, Microfinance, mobile banking vehicle, mobile phone banking, OIBM, Opportunity International, Opportunity International Bank of Malawi, Opportunity Malawi, Poverty, Savings, Technology
Gates Foundation Summit: The Power of Savings
On Nov. 16-17, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation held its first-ever 2010 Global Savings Forum in Seattle, Wash. Heads of government, banking, technology and international development gathered from around the world to discuss how to bring financial access to people living in poverty, with a particular focus on helping people protect their futures through savings. Read more…
Tagged Africa, Aleksandr Kalanda, Aleksandr-Alain Kalanda, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, biometric technology, biometrics, Clients, Conference, Ending Poverty, Financial services, Financial Services for the Poor initiative, G20 Summit, Gates Foundation, Loans, Malawi, Melinda Gates, MFI, Microfinance, Mobile Banking, mobile phone banking, OIBM, Opportunity International, Opportunity International Bank of Malawi, Opportunity Malawi, Poverty, Savings, Technology
LiveBlog: Innovating Technology: Bringing the Bank to the Doorstep of the Poor
“The cell phone has won. Everybody wants a cell phone, and they are at a price point that our customers can afford.” Daryl Skoog, Senior Vice President, Technology, explained how the cell phone is revolutionizing microfinance banking. “These networks enable us to move information locally where we were unable to do that before. We implemented Read more…
Tagged 2010 fall microfinance conference, Africa, biometric technology, Cell phone banking, Daryl Skoog, Ending Poverty, fall microfinance conference, Malawi, MFI, Microfinance, Mobile Phones, Opportunity International, Opportunity International Microfinance Conference, Poverty, Technology
3 Things to Learn about Microfinance at our Fall Conference
If you would like to learn more about microfinance and global development, Opportunity’s microfinance conference is the event to attend. Join us for our 2010 Fall Microfinance Conference this weekend (Friday, Oct. 8-Saturday, Oct. 9) in Washington, D.C. Register here.[/intlink] Here are 3 exciting topics to learn about at our fall conference[/intlink]: Microinsurance Our breakout Read more…
Tagged 2010 fall microfinance conference, alice gasatura, biometric technology, biometrics, Cell phone banking, Clients, Conference, Daryl Skoog, Ending Poverty, fall microfinance conference, Financial services, Half the Sky, internet, Julie Hindmarsh, Loans, MFI, Microensure, Microfinance, Microinsurance, Opportunity International, Opportunity International Microfinance Conference, Opportunity Rwanda, Poverty, Ruth-Anne Renaud, Rwanda, satellite communications, Sheryl WuDunn, Technology, Women, Women's Opportunity Network, Women's Philanthropy, WON
