Thursday, March 8th is International Women’s Day. Why do we celebrate International Women’s Day? It is an annually recognized date in which we salute women’s achievements in their struggle for quality and justice. It’s also a day in which we highlight the gender issues that remain unsolved and applaud initiatives created to provide those solutions. One such issue affecting women and children is a lack of access to clean water, ... Read More »

This is a continuation of Oikocredit USA’s Microfinance Investor Education Series, or MIE Series, designed to educate investors, donors and advisors about social impact issues in microfinance investing. In this third installation, Chuck Waterfield, CEO of MicroFinance Transparency, talks with us about pricing methodologies and the progress that has been made in pricing transparency in the last of our three-part series. You can read the  first  and second installations of ... Read More »

Director’s Corner follows Oikocredit USA National Director Sharlene Brown as she reflects on her work and her travels to investors and supportive communities in the US. Last weekend I attended Rotary’s Symposium to Eliminate Poverty Sustainably (STEPS) and was blown away at the commitment to service of Rotarians around the world. This symposium gave me the opportunity to hear about the projects Rotarians have supported in Peru, Indonesia, Haiti, and ... Read More »

Director’s Corner follows Oikocredit USA National Director Sharlene Brown as she reflects on her work and her travels to investors and supportive communities in the US. Like many people, I begin each year with much reflection and contemplation. Personally, I’ve been looking for inspiration, thinking about the conditions in the world and my contribution to the solutions. How can I be a citizen of the world and a contributor to ... Read More »

Microfinance pricing is complicated and data shows there is not one single price for any type of microloan product, regardless of lending methodology (group loan, individual loan, etc.) or purpose (business, housing, etc.), around the world. In fact, seemingly similar microfinance loan products offered by several financial institutions in a given market, such as business loans borrowed by groups in Rwanda, could have very different prices. When you have multiple loan providers in one market with a variety of operational characteristics, serving different market segments (low –moderate income, rural vs urban, etc.) and no standards for pricing disclosure, this could mean confusion for borrowers. If the same product has different prices and these prices are communicated in different forms (e.g. interest rate only vs. fee plus interest), how can a client compare prices and choose the best option available?

  Read More »

Director’s Corner follows Oikocredit USA National Director Sharlene Brown through her travels to investors and supportive communities in the US. I visited New Orleans for the first time in 2000 to attend the Essence Music Festival with two close friends. Enchanted by this historic city, we left with intentions of returning with some regularity, but that didn’t happen and then the years went by. As is now written into the ... Read More »

What does true price or transparent pricing mean in microfinance? The global, working definition of transparent pricing means the pricing, terms, and conditions of loans will be adequately disclosed to the clients in a clear manner that allows both accurate understanding of prices and comparison of different products. The terminology itself is important. The interest rate is one of several charges and terms that affect the overall cost of borrowing. Using the word “pricing” rather than “interest rates” is more comprehensive.

  Read More »

EVANSTON, Ill. – Entrepreneurs and microfinance institutions in developing countries will benefit from a new strategic partnership between the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International, a global humanitarian service organization, and Oikocredit, a Netherlands-based cooperative financial institution that promotes socially responsible investing. Under the partnership, the Rotary Foundation – the charitable arm of Rotary International — will provide grants to Rotary clubs to enable club members to work with microfinance institutions ... Read More »

Violence, unrest, and conflict continue to plague the Ivory Coast, especially the nation’s largest city of Abidjan and surrounding Abobo suburbs. Following the November 2010 election in which President Laurent Gbagbo refused to cede power to his opponent Alassane Ouattara, recognized by the U.N. and international community as the winner of the election, peaceful protests were met by violent government backlash that continues to escalate. Oikocredit is particularly concerned for ... Read More »

We’re gearing up for a summer full of fun events! We’d love to see you – Please come visit our Community HUB to find a local event near you!

  Read More »