> Posted by Center Staff
The Center for Financial Inclusion (CFI) has devoted the last several weeks to efforts spanning Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, and beyond. Here are some of the highlights:
In India, the Council of Microfinance Equity Funds (CMEF) coordinators and the Smart Campaign’s team participated in meetings designed to re-tool the Indian microfinance industry. The meetings were organized by Sa-Dhan, ACCESS and CMEF itself.
In other Smart Campaign action, staff members met in Addis Ababa to train prospective client protection trainers and assessors from 11 African networks. Campaign staff also took part in an IDB event on coordinating client protection initiatives in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Meanwhile, the Campaign website published several key tools, including one on group lending in India and a new Smart Note on ASKI, Philippines. In addition, the Proposed Revised Client Protection Principles and a detailed CPP Guidance Document were made available online for public comment. Also, the Smart Campaign’s first-ever e-learning module won the Global Giveback Competition.
Other recent CFI highlights:
- The CMEF team worked on coordinating member participation in CGAP/JP Morgan’s annual valuation study.
- The CFI home site published a “Microfinance Matters” interview with Grameen Foundation head Alex Counts.
- Managing Director Beth Rhyne traveled to Peru for an Alliance for Financial Inclusion working group on measuring inclusion with quality, and she spoke at a Financial Women’s Association panel on financial inclusion in the BRICs.
- The Financial Inclusion for Persons with Disability Program met with Ecuador’s ambassador to the United States.
- The CFI Faculty Council convened at the Harvard Kennedy School.
- Financial Access at Birth founder Bhagwan Chowdhry presented on his ideas at the Harvard Social Enterprise Conference.
Image credit: Noldoaran