MFC Interviews 2011: Georgi Breskovski of Mikrofond on MFC's JASMINE program

In this interview from the 2011 MFC Conference, Georgi Breskovski of Mikrofond discusses his organization in Bulgaria and the benefits of participating in JASMINE project facilitated by MFC.

Bio: Georgi Breskovski

Georgi Breskovski has been the director of Mikrofond since 2003, after being the program coordinator of the Open Society Foundation in Bulgaria. He is also the project director of Consortium Mikrofond, which aims at improving the situation and inclusion of disadvantaged ethnic minorities with a special focus on Roma projects. He holds an MBA from the University of Applied Science, Bremen, Germany. Attached please find Georgie's presentation in Bulgarian language from a conference that took place in Bogota, Colombia on the subject of "Growing Inclusive Markets".

MIKROFOND started operations in 1999 in the town of Smolian with the goal to finance Bulgarian entrepreneurs, who do not have access to the bank system. On February 10th 2011 MIKROFOND signed a facility agreement for 3 000 000 EUR with the European investment Fund. The financing is provided under the “European Progress Microfinance Facility” established by the European Union. Initially the insititution has been funded by United Bulgarian Bank and Raiffeisenbank  with the support of Soros Economic Development Fund. After 2003 the company has received funding for more than 5 000 000 EUR from international financial institutions, among which Deutsche bank, Dexia Microcredit Fund, Oikocr