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USEFUL LINKS
| Grameen Bank |
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The Grameen Bank provides financial services to the poorest
of the poor in rural Bangladesh without collaterals.
http://www.grameen-info.org
| UNIFEM |
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Created in 1976 UNIFEM is a fund devoted to promote women's
empowerment and gender equality. UNIFEM focuses its work at
the country level within the context of the United Nations
Resident Coordinator System. It works to ensure the participation
of women in all levels of development planning and practice,
and acts as a catalyst within the UN system, supporting efforts
that link the needs and concerns of women to all critical
issues on the national, regional and global agendas.
http://www.unifem.undp.org
| ACCION International |
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Since 1961, ACCION International has been a pioneer in micro-credit
and micro-enterprise development, particularly in Latin America.
Of particular interest is the information on the micro-finance
network, the list of publications and the US and Latin America
statistics.
http://www.accion.org/
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Journal of Micro-finance
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The Journal of Micro-finance is a forum for sharing ideas
and information related to the practice of micro-finance.
This journal features articles and special symposia written
by leading practitioners and academics in the field of micro-finance
and micro-enterprise development.
http://www.microjournal.com/
| The Microfinance Gateway |
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The Microfinance Gateway is a public forum where Microfinance
professionals can contribute thought pieces, post publications,
publicize conferences and training workshops, debate current
issues, and look for employment.
http://www.microfinancegateway.org
| Microcredit Summit |
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More than 2,900 people representing 1,500 organizations from
137 countries attended the Microcredit Summit in Washington,
D.C. in February 1997. The Summit launched a nine-year campaign
to reach 100 million of the world's poorest families with
credit for self-employment and other financial and business
services by the year 2005. The Summit's website includes a
searchable database of Microcredit Summit Council members
and speeches from the Summit events.
http://www.microcreditsummit.org
| CGAP |
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A multi-donor effort to reduce poverty by increasing access
to financial services for very poor households through financially
sustainable institutions. CGAP's strategy is anchored on building
and strengthening the retail capacity of microfinance institutions.
UNCDF is a member of this consortium of 29 donors.
http://www.cgap.org
| Mix - Microfinance Information eXchange |
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The MIX is a global information service for the microfinance
industry. Our mission is to help build the microfinance market
infrastructure. The MIX Market strives to facilitate exchanges
and investment flows, promote transparency and improve reporting
standards in the microfinance industry.
http://www.themix.org
| The MicroFinance Network |
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The MicroFinance Network is a global association of microfinance
institutions committed to improving the quality of life of
the poor through the provision of credit, savings, and other
financial services. Network members believe in using a commercial
approach to establish and develop sustainable financial institutions
that reach a large number of clients who are excluded from
traditional financial institutions.
http://www.bellanet.org/partners/mfn/
| Directory of Development Organizations |
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The Directory of Development Organizations lists over 18,500
contacts organizations promoting private sector development
and poverty alleviation through: microfinance, business development
services, small enterprise development, appropriate technology,
community development, environmental protection, research,
training and education.
http://www.devdir.org/
| The Virtual Library on Microcredit |
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The Virtual Library on Microcredit is a database of information,
case studies, articles and other documents related to Microcredit
from the GDRC (Global Development Research Center). The Global
Development Research Center is a virtual organization that
carries out initiatives in education, research and practice,
in the spheres of environment, urban, community, economy and
information, and at scales that are effective.
http://www.gdrc.org/icm/index.html
| The World Bank Group |
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Founded in 1944, the World Bank Group is one of the world's
largest sources of development assistance. The Bank, which
provided $17.3 billion in loans to its client countries in
fiscal year 2001, is now working in more than 100 developing
economies, bringing a mix of finance and ideas to improve
living standards and eliminate the worst forms of poverty.
For each of its clients, the Bank works with government agencies,
nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector to formulate
assistance strategies.
http://www.worldbank.org
| United States Agency for International
Development (USAID) |
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The United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
is an independent federal government agency that receives
overall foreign policy guidance from the Secretary of State.
Created in 1961, USAID has been the first U.S. agency to extend
assistance to countries recovering from disaster, trying to
escape poverty, and engaging in democratic reforms. The agency
works to support long-term and equitable economic growth and
advancing U.S. foreign policy objectives by supporting economic
growth, agriculture and trade, developing global health and
democracy, strengthening conflict prevention and humanitarian
assistance.
http://www.usaid.gov
| Development Gateway |
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Sponsored by the World Bank, the Development Gateway is a
portal website covering a wide range of development issues.
The goal of the Gateway is to help economic development practitioners
to share information and to communicate easily. The web site
contains researches, case studies, information on funding
and commercial opportunities and job announcements.
http://www.developmentgateway.com
| United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF) MICROFINANCE |
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The services of the microfinance unit of the United Nations
Capital Development Fund (UNCDF Microfinance) are specifically
tailored to support countries with emerging microfinance sectors
by, 1) providing FUNDING in the form of grants and soft loans
to help build and integrate sustainable microfinance into
the broader financial sector, 2) offering technical &
policy GUIDANCE to the United Nations Development Programme
(UNDP) and government partners, and 3) disseminating field-based
knowledge of sound microfinance principles and practices with
UNDP and other key stakeholders through training & information
SERVICES.
http://www.uncdf.org/english/microfinance/index.php
| Women's Opportunity Fund |
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The Women’s Opportunity Fund enables extremely poor
women in developing countries to break out of the cycle of
poverty. Small loans are made to poor entrepreneurs (primarily
women) in groups of 15-40 called Trust Banks. Trust Bank members
receive loans, training, and a support network to help them
and their families become self-reliant with dignity.
http://www.womensopportunityfund.org
| The Virtual Microfinance Market |
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The Virtual Microfinance Market (VMM) is an information exchange
system designed to facilitate interactions between MFIs, private
investors, Governments and other participants in the microfinance
market.
http://www.vmm.dpn.ch/index.asp?info=main
| PLANET FINANCE - The Microfinance Platform |
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PlaNet Finance was established in 1998 as a non-profit organisation
under French law. In the following three years, PlaNet Finance
has become an international NGO, heading a microfinance network
whose mission is to use the enormous potential of the Internet
to promote development and microcredit. PlaNet Finance offers
its services to microfinance practitioners and it is also
a working tool for microfinance experts. PlaNet Finance works
directly with Microfinance Institutions (MFI) and other organisations
that provide banking services for the poor.
http://www.planetfinance.org
| CALMEADOW |
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CALMEADOW is a registered Canadian not-for-profit charity
with over fifteen years of experience in microfinance. Based
in Toronto, CALMEADOW focuses its efforts on mobilising and
managing capital for direct investment in developing microfinance
institutions in Latin America and Africa.
http://www.calmeadow.com
| ILO - International Labour Organization |
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The International Labour Organisation with its Social Financial
Programme is concerned with financial sector issues that enhance
or obstruct poverty alleviation, employment creation and the
fight against social exclusion. ILO provides technical assistance
on policy and legislative reform, advocacy and awareness raising,
and capacity building of the tripartite constituents. Projects
incorporate development and gender aspects.
http://www.ilo.org/public/english/employment/finance/index.htm
| Association for Enterprise Opportunity |
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The Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO) is a US
association of organisations committed to microenterprise
development. AEO provides its members with a forum, information,
and a voice to promote enterprise opportunity for people and
communities with limited access to economic resources.
http://www.microenterpriseworks.org
| Foundation for International Community Assistance
(FINCA) |
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FINCA provides financial services to the world’s poorest
families so they can create their own jobs, raise household
incomes, and improve their standard of living. FINCA delivers
these services through a global network of locally managed
and self-supporting institutions.
http://www.villagebanking.org
| EnterWeb |
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EnterWeb is an extensive online resource for people looking
for information on small and micro-enterprise, as well as
finance, international trade, entrepreneurship and enterprise
development.
http://www.enterweb.org/microcre.htm
| Alternative Finance Website |
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The Alternative Finance Website provides articles and information
on micro-credit and other sustainable financial services aiming
to redress inequity, alleviate poverty and improve services
to disadvantaged people.
http://www.alternative-finance.org.uk
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