Holly Padgett

Blog Post

&gt; Posted by Holly Padgett
<img class="alignright wp-image-5033" title="blog map" src="http://centerforfinancialinclusionblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/blog-map1.png" alt="" width="450" height="241" />In my opinion, blogs provide a great way to stay involved and up-to-date with current discussions about topics of interest. However, if you ever feel bombarded with information (and how does anyone have time to follow all the interesting blogs?), I understand. After all, at last count, <a href="http://technorati.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Technorati </a>was tracking<a href="http://www.quirk.biz/resources/howto/137/5/Part-3-Social-Bookmarking-and-Aggregating---Avoiding-overload" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> over 100 million blogs.</a>
With the idea of zeroing in on some of the most valuable resources out there, I recently took on the quite extensive project of creating a visual map of blogs related to financial inclusion.  I started with three relevant blogs and mapped connecting blogs (based on <a href="http://www.blogossary.com/define/blogroll/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blogrolls</a>) to get a better idea of the blog community surrounding CFI. While the map was definitely not exhaustive, it was very informative.
If you’re interested in blogs related to financial inclusion and international development, I hope this post will act as a good resource.
Here’s a short list of blogs I uncovered that I, personally, find very interesting (this list is also not exhaustive – there are so many other great blogs I could add):
<ul>
 	<li>David Roodman’s <a href="http://blogs.cgdev.org/open_book/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Microfinance Open Book Blog</a> – This blog was an important part of the creation of Roodman’s new book <a href="http://blogs.cgdev.org/open_book/praise-for-due-diligence" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Due Diligence</a> (which looks incredibly interesting).  Now that the book has been released, I hope he will continue to blog on relevant issues.</li>
 	<li><a href="http://grameenfoundation.wordpress.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Creating a World Without Poverty</a> – This blog, by Grameen Foundation, discusses microfinance, financial inclusion, and the foundation’s initiatives, and gives a great overview of some of the toughest problems facing the world’s poor. </li>
 	<li><a href="http://microfinance.cgap.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CGAP Microfinance</a> – Many of CGAP’s blog posts are related to advancing access to financial services. They also highlight other relevant projects and current events. This is one of many great places to keep up with the progress towards financial inclusion.</li>
 	<li><a href="http://www.indiadevelopmentblog.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">India Development Blog</a> – This blog is written by staff at the Institute for Financial Management and Research (IFMR) and the posts are very interesting and easy to understand.</li>
 	<li><a href="http://www.nextbillion.net/blog" target="_blank" rel="noopener">NextBillion</a> – “Development through Enterprise” is the focus of this blog. The posts highlight current news and events and put forth some very neat ideas about connecting business and entrepreneurship to development.</li>
</ul>
Beyond tapping into these resources, I’ve found that setting up <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RSS" target="_blank" rel="noopener">RSS feeds</a> in your email or with <a href="http://www.google.com/reader/view/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Google Reader</a>  is a great way to stay organized and reduce the info-gathering work for you.
In our comments space, please let me know of any relevant blogs that you find especially interesting!
For more information, <a href="http://bit.ly/FI2020signup">sign up for updates</a> from the Financial Inclusion 2020 campaign.
Have you read?
<a href="http://centerforfinancialinclusionblog.wordpress.com/2011/12/19/books-for-inspiring-and-educating-social-entrepreneurs-alex-counts-book-project/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Books for Inspiring and Educating Social Entrepreneurs – Alex Counts Book Project</a>
<a href="http://centerforfinancialinclusionblog.wordpress.com/2011/12/13/report-review-m-cril-assesses-indias-hard-year-in-microfinance/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Report Review: M-CRIL Assesses India’s Hard Year in Microfinance</a>
<a href="http://centerforfinancialinclusionblog.wordpress.com/2011/08/23/five-great-books-about-microfinance-and-how-the-poor-use-money/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">5 Great Books About Microfinance and How the Poor Use Money</a>

Exploring the Financial Inclusion Blog Community

<img class="alignright wp-image-4945" title="MEC" src="http://centerforfinancialinclusionblog.files.wordpress.com/2012/01/mec.png" alt="" width="283" height="83" />After my latest blog post concerning microfinance and environmental sustainability, I was excited to read about the recent decision by the <a href="http://www.opic.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC)</a>, a US government development finance institution, to support clean energy initiatives around the world.

OPIC’s support came in the form of a $10 million loan to <a href="http://microenergycredits.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">MicroEnergy Credits (MEC)</a>.  With the loan, MEC will assist microfinance institutions in providing microloans to individuals for the purchase of clean energy products (e.g. solar lighting).
In a recent <a href="http://microenergycredits.com/2011/12/03/opic-approves-10-million-to-scale-clean-energy-microfinance-by-microenergy-credits/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">blog post</a>, MEC described some of the positive aspects of these clean energy initiatives:
"Individuals who receive microloans to purchase clean energy not only benefit the planet; they benefit from improved health due to reduced indoor air pollution and increased savings from reduced expenditure on traditional fuels.”

MicroEnergy Credits primarily works to connect MFIs with <a href="http://microenergycredits.com/carbon-offsets/what-are-the-carbon-markets/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">carbon markets</a> to offset initial costs of clean energy microloans.  However, the organization also has a widespread impact on the microfinance industry as a whole. MEC founder and CEO, April Allderdice, recently worked with CFI on the Energy Links project and<a href="http://centerforfinancialinclusionblog.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/110929_cfi_rpt_energy-links-full_final.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener"> 'Microfinance and Energy Poverty'</a> publication, a report on alleviating energy poverty.

OPIC’s loan is especially exciting because it exemplifies the US government’s attention to, not only microfinance in developing countries, but also renewable, affordable, and clean energy sources.  I hope this will be part of an upward trend towards even more initiatives supporting responsible clean energy solutions in the US and around the world. Kudos OPIC and MEC!

Have you read?
<a href="http://centerforfinancialinclusionblog.wordpress.com/2011/10/19/bloomberg-cites-microfinance-and-energy-poverty-findings-from-the-energy-links-project/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bloomberg Cites ‘Microfinance and Energy Poverty: Findings from the Energy Links Project’</a>
<a href="http://centerforfinancialinclusionblog.wordpress.com/2011/10/04/cfi-releases-report-on-microfinance-and-energy-poverty/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">CFI Releases Report on Microfinance and Energy Poverty</a>
<a href="http://centerforfinancialinclusionblog.wordpress.com/2010/07/01/artisanal-solar-lamps-2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Artisanal Solar Lamps</a>

&nbsp;

OPIC Supports MicroEnergy Credits in Building Clean Energy Microfinance

<img class="alignright size-medium wp-image-4911" title="TBL" src="http://centerforfinancialinclusionblog.files.wordpress.com/2011/12/tbl.jpg?w=300" alt="" width="300" height="225" />As a former student of Environmental Science and a strong advocate for environmental (as well as economic and social) sustainability, I am constantly striving to align my work and experiences with the precepts of <a href="http://www.un-documents.net/ocf-02.htm" target="_blank" rel="noopener">sustainable development</a>, defined by the UN World Commission on Environment and Development as “development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.”

While I, and probably many others, would argue that microfinance and financial inclusion are undeniably a part of sustainable development, it is often hard to see the direct connection.  For this reason, it is especially exciting when I run across an event or report that directly exemplifies the link.

For example, in the recent climate negotiations at the 2011 <a href="http://unfccc.int/2860.php" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UN Climate Change Conference</a>, in Durban, South Africa, several initiatives were agreed upon that support the triple bottom line (economy, society and environment) in developed and developing countries. One major decision that came out of the summit was the establishment of the <a href="http://www.un.org/wcm/content/site/climatechange/pages/gateway/the-negotiations/durban" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Green Climate Fund</a>, which will channel money from developed nations to developing and vulnerable communities to assist with clean energy programs and adaptations to climate change and extreme weather events.

Another example is a report recently published by CFI, <a href="http://centerforfinancialinclusionblog.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/110929_cfi_rpt_energy-links-full_final.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">“Microfinance and Energy Poverty,”</a> that discusses the role of MFIs and savings groups in bringing affordable, renewable energy devices to off-grid populations in Africa.  The NewEurope Post, a European newspaper, also recently put out an <a href="http://www.neurope.eu/blog/microfinance-provides-perfect-partner-sustainable-development" target="_blank" rel="noopener">article</a> that stresses the importance of microfinance in supporting cheaper and environmentally friendly energy solutions (e.g., solar hot water heaters, housing insulation, and small-scale solar panel systems).

In 1987, the UN commission put forth two concepts that further define sustainable development: 1) “the concept of ‘needs’, in particular the essential needs of the world’s poor, to which overriding priority should be given” and 2) “the idea of limitations imposed by the state of technology and social organization on the environment’s ability to meet present and future needs.”

I often return to this definition for motivation and inspiration. I love that the examples above clearly show efforts to address the needs of developing communities while also considering the environmental impacts of such initiatives.  I hope to hear from anyone who has more examples of this connection!
Image credit: <a href="http://landlogics.net/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Landlogics</a>

Have you read?
<a href="http://centerforfinancialinclusionblog.wordpress.com/2011/11/07/the-future-is-green/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Future is Green</a>
<a href="http://centerforfinancialinclusionblog.wordpress.com/2011/10/19/bloomberg-cites-microfinance-and-energy-poverty-findings-from-the-energy-links-project/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bloomberg Cites ‘Microfinance and Energy Poverty: Findings from the Energy Links Project’</a>
<a href="http://centerforfinancialinclusionblog.wordpress.com/2010/07/01/artisanal-solar-lamps-2/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Artisanal Solar Lamps</a>

&nbsp;

Holly Padgett

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