The Alliance responds to the need and demand for an inclusive global forum and platform for cross-sectoral policy dialogue on the use of ICT for enhancing the achievement of internationally agreed development goals, notably reduction of poverty.

'This paper discusses migrant remittances in the Sri Lankan context, specifically in relation to Hatton National Bank’s (HNB) microfinance program and the use of technology. Currently outreach in microfinance is expanding as a result of migrant remittances, improved technologies and cheaper services. HNB’s innovative remittance e-product, Money2Home, is one such product outlined and other future development areas are considered.'

'ICT can be a strategic tool in making Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) more efficient and effective. MFIs can reach more people in a more economic way by implementing the right Management Information System (MIS). While a few MFIs are making good use of technology, the majority are facing difficulties in getting the right solution. The back-office MIS is the backbone of any Information System solution and yet it has not received much attention. MFIs, whether large or small, need to have a stron more...

Spore is published bimonthly in English, French and Portuguese. The magazine features articles relevant to agricultural and rural development in ACP (African, Caribbean and Pacific) countries, and specifically on trends and opinions, technical innovations, business, recent publications and useful contact sources. Subscription is free (http://spore-subs.cta.int) to organisations and individuals resident in ACP and EU countries who are involved in agricultural and rural development. Spore is publ more...

Grameen Foundation has launched www.progressoutofpoverty.org, a website that demonstrates how microfinance institutions (MFIs) can understand and improve their social performance. The website features information and resources about the Progress out of Poverty Index™ (PPI™), a poverty assessment tool that helps MFIs measure the poverty levels of their clients. The PPI was commissioned by Grameen Foundation in collaboration with the Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP) and the Ford Fo more...

"In case you haven't heard, there's this new thing called MicroPlace. It's a major turn in the life of the microfinance movement founded by entrepreneur (philanthropreneur?) Tracey Pettengill Turner. In between advancing her vision for solutions to poverty and running Ironman triathlons, Tracey takes a moment to discuss her new project with NextBillion.net."

While both online platforms respond to the microfinance industry’s need for debt financing and desire for globally minded do-gooders to help alleviate poverty, their approaches are different. Kiva was created by newlyweds Matt and Jessica Flannery. Inspired by a 3-month trip to East Africa, they created a way for average people, with a thirst to make a difference, to lend to microentrepreneurs around the world. “The real motivation behind Kiva was to blur boundaries between who we think of a more...

Matt Flannery, cofounder of Kiva.org, a website that partners with microfinance institutions to allow people to loan money to entrepreneurs in the developing world, discusses the microfinance industry and its growing popularity among large financial institutions and the development community. He says the practice of providing financial services to the poor is not necessarily going to increase a country’s economic growth rate. Despite the high costs associated with making small loans, large fin more...

With the media hype surrounding Kiva.org and the recent launch of eBay's MicroPlace, the phenomenon of online microlending has taken off, creating a brand new virtual class of retail investors and lenders for microfinance institutions (MFIs) - perhaps changing the face of microfinance capital.

A new Microfinance Gateway Highlight takes a look at this new trend to answer questions about how it works, the differences between Kiva and MicroPlace, and some of their challenges and critiques moving more...

Forbes Magazine published its first-ever list of the Top Microfinance Institutions in the December 20, 2007, issue of its magazine. The list was compiled from 2006 data from the Microfinance Information Exchange, as well as analysis from ratings firms Micro-Credit Ratings International Limited and MicroRate, to rank the top 50 microfinance institutions (from a field of 641 reporting microfinance providers) by examining six key variables: gross loan portfolio, operating expense, operating expense more...