March 09, 2007

NextBillion.net (Development Through Enterprise)

Site: NextBillion.net

NextBillion.net brings together the community of business leaders, social entrepreneurs, NGOs, policy makers, and academics who want to explore the connection between development and enterprise. Many of the resources here explore the economy at the Bottom of the Pyramid (BOP). This is sponsored by the World Resources Institute (WRI).

This is a great resource with links to many news articles, reports, and other documents on the web. Additionally, the site includes case studies looking at development issues, full-text reports and book reviews, and conference resources. Appears to be a great resource for exploring issues relating to NGOs in developing countries.

This entry was posted in the following categories: Free Internet Resources , Microcredit & Microfinance , NGO (Non-Governmental Organizations) , Sustainability

Posted by cseeman at 06:25 AM | Comments (0)

October 15, 2006

ACCION International

SITE: ACCION International
URL: http://www.accion.org
DESCRIPTION: Excellent resource for looking at microfinance. This organization (see below) has many resources on their site including free and modestly priced publications, speeches and articles; annual reports, and a great deal of other information.

From their site: ACCION International is a private, nonprofit organization with the mission of giving people the financial tools they need – microenterprise loans, business training, and other financial services – to work their way out of poverty.

"The mission of ACCION International is to give people the tools they need to work their way out of poverty. By providing "micro" loans and business training to poor women and men who start their own businesses, ACCION's partner lending organizations help people work their own way up the economic ladder, with dignity and pride. With capital, people can grow their own businesses. They can earn enough to afford basics like running water, better food and schooling for their children.

This entry was posted in the following categories: Free Internet Resources , Microcredit & Microfinance , NGO (Non-Governmental Organizations) , Organizations

Posted by cseeman at 09:38 PM | Comments (0)

MicroBanking Bulletin (MBB)

SITE: MicroBanking Bulletin (MBB)
URL: http://www.mixmbb.org/en/index.html
DESCRIPTION: Great resource on Microfinance and Microcredit. This resource is open access, so it can be viewed by anyone. Resource from the MIX Market.

From their site: "The MicroBanking Bulletin (MBB) is the premier benchmarking source for the microfinance industry. Its benchmarks are widely used by investors, donors and other service providers to facilitate greater standardization and a better understanding of the development of the microfinance sector. Originally an output of the MicroBanking Standards Project, the MBB is one of the principal products offered by the MIX (Microfinance Information eXchange).
The MIX is a not-for-profit private organization that supports the growth of a healthy microfinance sector through increasing standardization and facilitating information exchange. The MIX is supported by CGAP, Citigroup Foundation, Deutsche Bank Americas Foundation, Open Society Institute, Rockdale Foundation and others."

This entry was posted in the following categories: Microcredit & Microfinance

Posted by cseeman at 09:27 PM | Comments (0)

October 13, 2006

Grameen Bank

SITE: Grameen Bank
URL: http://www.grameen-info.org/
DESCRIPTION: Along with its founder, Professor Muhammad Yunus, Garmeen Bank was the recipient of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize.

The site has a great deal of information on Microcredit (providing loans without collateral to poor and unemployed people) and breaking the cycle of poverty in developing nations. Included are articles, documents, statistics and reports on the bank and its activities in Bangladesh.

About the Bank (from their site): Grameen Bank (GB) has reversed conventional banking practice by removing the need for collateral and created a banking system based on mutual trust, accountability, participation and creativity. GB provides credit to the poorest of the poor in rural Bangladesh, without any collateral. At GB, credit is a cost effective weapon to fight poverty and it serves as a catalyst in the over all development of socio-economic conditions of the poor who have been kept outside the banking orbit on the ground that they are poor and hence not bankable. Professor Muhammad Yunus, the founder of "Grameen Bank" and its Managing Director, reasoned that if financial resources can be made available to the poor people on terms and conditions that are appropriate and reasonable, "these millions of small people with their millions of small pursuits can add up to create the biggest development wonder."

This entry was posted in the following categories: Free Internet Resources , Microcredit & Microfinance , NGO (Non-Governmental Organizations) , Organizations

Posted by cseeman at 03:20 PM | Comments (0)