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Grameen Foundation Convenes Microfinance
Leaders from across the Globe
Twenty-five Grameen Foundation partners representing
microfinance institutions from Asia, Latin America, Africa and
the Middle East gathered in Santa Cruz, Bolivia in October for a
week of learning and networking at Grameen Foundation's 2007
Partner Forum. The forum was the first for GF's MFI partners in
the earlier stages of preparing for rapid growth. The event was sponsored by the McGraw-Hill Companies.
Held October 29-November 2, the forum provided burgeoning
MFIs with tangible tools to address the strategic and
operational challenges associated with microfinance. With the
theme, "Leading for Success," GF partners exchanged ideas and
experiences in microfinance best practices. Participants heard
from leaders within Grameen Foundation, other GF partners, as
well as executives and thought leaders from corporations and
nonprofits including Banco Sol, Best Buy and Habitat for
Humanity International. They also visited branches of Pro Mujer
Bolivia and FONDECO to gain insight into the operations of
Bolivian microfinance institutions. Even for very experienced
practitioners, watching microfinance in action outside their
home countries was informative and memorable.
"Xochitl and Fernando, our Branch Managers, have come back
from the Grameen Foundation forum excited and eager to make GdlF
grow," said Marshall Saunders, President of Grameen de La
Frontera (GdlF), an MFI partner in Mexico. "But mostly it's the
enthusiasm that they both caught that is so important."
Sharing practical solutions to practical problems allows MFIs
to be more efficient and effective. "The ultimate winner is the
borrower who will have more access to better services," said
Julie Peachey, the Grameen Foundation Director of Asia Programs
and manager of the forum. "MFI leaders face some of the most
daunting problems that any organization encounters. By learning
from each other, they can avoid common pitfalls and focus their
energy on new and creative ways to help their clients escape
poverty."
The open dialogue format also allowed Grameen
Foundation to hear "from the field" reports on the day-to-day
and strategic needs of our partners. "The more we understand
about our partners' challenges, the better able we are to
develop innovative solutions to support their front line
programs," said Peachey.
Following the forum, participants were offered optional
day-long training sessions in commercial financing, leadership
building, process modeling, and implementing Village Phone
Direct programs.
Grameen Foundation
Celebrates Innovation in Combating Poverty 
Grameen Foundation celebrated two organizations and an
individual for empowering people to lift themselves out of
poverty through microfinance at its 2007 Microfinance Awards and
10th Anniversary Celebration; "Changing the Future with
Strategic Innovation." The event was sponsored by Best Buy,
Deutsche Bank, and WLNY-TV.
Grameen Bank founder and 2006 Nobel Peace winner Muhammad
Yunus delivered remarks commending the awardees for their
dedication to eradicating poverty. "I don't think poverty has
any place to hide any more," Yunus remarked. All three awardees,
he said, were being recognized for their innovative ideas to
advance "the business to do good without expecting anything out
of it." 
The Excellence Award Honoree, Amhara Credit and Savings
Institution (ACSI), is one of the largest microfinance
institutions (MFIs) in Ethiopia, where an estimated six million
people live in poverty. In 12 years, ACSI has grown to 184
branches and expects to serve nearly one million clients by the
end of 2007. In his remarks, Mekonnen Yelewumwosen, the CEO of
ACSI, expressed the importance of receiving the award. "It will
mean a lot to our organization in Ethiopia. It will help make
people pay attention to microfinance and its ability to bring
people out of poverty."
The Pioneer Award honoree, Grameen Koota of India, works in a
region where just under 40 percent of the population lives below
the poverty line. It has grown tremendously since opening in
2001, and is the first adopter of Mifos, an innovative, open
source technology platform developed by Grameen Foundation's
Technology Center.
The winner of the Susan M. Davis Lifetime Achievement Award,
Sam Daley-Harris is founder of RESULTS, a preeminent grassroots
lobbying organization working to create the political will to
end world hunger. In 1997, the RESULTS Educational Fund convened
the first ever Microcredit Summit, launching 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. That goal was reached at the end of 2006, just one
year behind schedule. A second goal was launched during the 2006
Global Microcredit Summit that, once achieved, will lift half a
billion people out of extreme poverty.
Prior to the awards ceremony, GF hosted a Knowledge Sharing
Roundtable where the practitioner honorees shared their
experiences, best practices and innovations. More than 50
microfinance practitioners attended the roundtable and exchanged
ideas with other professionals, students and media. The
roundtable was hosted by Grameen Foundation Board Chair Paul
Maritz.
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