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2008-06-16 - Milan hosts microfinance symposium

Microfinance and the Fight against Financial Exclusion in Europe

Milan plays host on June 16th to the symposium "Microfinance and the Fight against Financial Exclusion in Europe" organised by PlaNet Finance. The symposium is supported by the City of Milan and the Giordano Dell'Amore Foundation in partnership with Lenovo as official partner and the support of Natixis, Capgemini, Edi and Publicis.

The objective of the symposium is to review the microfinance sector in Europe and focus on the development of microfinance in Italy and various other European countries, with accounts given by individual contributors, institutions and other organisations working within the microfinance sector.

For more information please download the programme bellow :

Microfinance and the Fight against Financial Exclusion in Europe (fichier pdf - 49 Ko)

2008-05-13 - Global Microfinance Investment Congress

GMIC - New York 14-16 May 2008

The Next Global Microfinance Investment Congress takes place in New York City on the 14^th -16^th May 2008.

This three day event, hosted by PlaNet Finance and the American Conference Institute, intends to bring together established microfinance pioneers and various new entrants to the market to attempt to fortify a structure that will promote the growth of this sector into the future.

Following the great success of the Global Microfinance Investment Congress held in Paris in January this year, the New York Congress will continue to build on the network of investors and MFI representatives working together to turn microfinance into a thriving Industry. Based on the premise that investment needs to be well informed, supported, and oriented, this second congress aims to optimise the allocation of funds to Microfinance institutions, preparing the sector for its next phase of growth.

A highlight of this congress will be an in-depth presentation of the investment landscape of four distinct global regions, touching on both the development of microfinance in developing countries, such as China and the MENA region, and the more established business models of India and Latin America.

For more information please visit the link below:

http://www.microfinance-congress.com/index_en.php

2006-02-17 - Training programs in Senegal and Morocco

New partnerships with Microsoft Unlimited Potential

PlaNet Finance China's successful implantation of Community Development Training Centers (CTLCs) in China has lead to new collaborations between PlaNet Finance and the Social Affaires branch of Microsoft, in the MEA area : 2 Microfinance & Training programs are to be started in Morocco and Senegal.

The Moroccan program aims at training and to equiping 100 participants, in Casablanca where many microentrepreneurs are located. Two training sessions, with 10 participants, will be organised over a 6-month period. Each training session will last 2-3 days.

The Senegalese program, based on a Training of Trainers (ToT) methodology, will allow the training of 25 MFIs' staff over a period of 12 months, and lead to the training of an average 750 microentrepreneurs.

Training to microentrepreneurs will consist of modules such as management of revenue-generating activities or credit management and the use of computer and IT tools in business environment.

2006-02-08 - Support to Nepalese microentrepreneurs

PlaNet Finance India co-organizes the 7th Annual Fair in Kathmandu, Nepal

PlaNet Finance co-organizes the 7th Annual Fair of Craftsmanship in Kathmandu from February 23th to 27th, 2006 with the support of Programme Asia Invest of the European Commission, the Handicraft Association of Nepal and His Majesty's Government of Nepal.

The 7th Annual Fair in Kathmandu is the most important one among others having the same theme that were organized over the last few years by the Handicraft Association of Nepal. The aim is to increase the participants' awareness to Nepalese art and craft objects, to better inform European countries about Nepalese microenterprises and strengthen trade relationships between Nepalese entrepreneurs and European companies.

The 5-day event will be coordinated as following: a large sale and exhibition of more than 100 crafts industries in Nepal, craftsmen at work, individual meetings between buyers and sellers, and 3-day-international seminars. The seminars aim at consolidating on a local level, the links between financial and microfinance institutions in order to increase technical and managing abilities of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises. This action will be conceivable with the sharing of regional and worldwide experience acquired as to the support given to craftsmanship and microenterprises and the bringing up of better procedures to increase commercial opportunities between Nepalese and Europeans entrepreneurs.

It will be the occasion to give the opportunity to new European companies to have a comprehensive view of craftsmanship; to allow them starting to work with Nepalese companies. It will also be the occasion for companies that already have some trade relationships with the country to express their opinion about the areas which need some skill strengthening.

A wide range of local crafts and natural products will be exhibited; this year the emphasis will be put on hand-made paper products (Lokta), products made with natural fibres, Pauba and Thangka paintings, Responsible Tourism, woodwork, jewellery, silver ornamental objects, spices and teas.

The fair will also mark the end of the Nepal Micro InvestIT project which was developed over the last 12 months, financed by the European Commission and implemented by PlaNet Finance in order to facilitate the access to financing and establish stronger relations between Nepal and Europe. The event follows that of Marseille (France) that took place on December 1-3, 2005 with the theme "Nepal: Enterprise, Everest and Everything Else." We hope that this project will be an annual platform that will enable entrepreneurs to promote their activity and products, to generate a renewed interest on a worldwide scale and increase the opportunities regarding art and craft objects.

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