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A comprehensive summary of the 2012 Evidence Summit on the evidence of impacts of microfinance, ultra-poor programs, value chain development, and mobile solutions.

A comprehensive summary of the 2012 Evidence Summit on the evidence of impacts of microfinance, ultra-poor programs, value chain development, and mobile solutions.

The Microlinks team attended the 2012 SEEP Annual Conference. Watch plenary session recordings, read a blog post recap, explore photos from the event, and stay tuned for interviews with conference presenters.

Microfinance Opportunities’ experience shows that consumer education messages are most effective when repeated often and delivered using a mix of communication channels.

MFO's client-centered model argues that sustainability, scale, and impact are more likely if an MFI’s processes, products, and delivery channels, and the financial capabilities of clients, together fit the needs or financial behaviors of clients.

Both days of the Youth Economic Opportunities Conference have provided David James-Wilson with ample opportunities to get a better handle on who is willing (and able) to fund what – when it comes to donors, “scale,” and “impact.”

So my goal is to attend as many sessions as possible where donors are presenting to really get to the bottom of how much overlap there is between what donors say they most want, and what they seem to be ready and able to pay for.

Mina Shahid outlines the structures and processes necessary for effective implementation of a market facilitation approach, and also identified common operating modes of less effective market facilitation projects.

This year Microlinks partnered with The SEEP Network to cover the 2011 SEEP Annual Conference held on October 31- November 3 in Arlington, VA.

Debora Randall, independent consultant based in Kigali, Rwanda, discusses how the SEEP Conference brings together the worlds of business and development.

This blog post was written by Christian Pennotti, Learning and Impact Technical Advisor at CARE, following the "Understanding the Intangibles: Trust, Risk, Leadership, and Transparency in Value Chain Partnerships" Breakfast Seminar on November 4, 2011.

Bill Grant of DAI provides key takeaways from his presentation during Breakfast Seminar #63, "Formalization of the Warm Milk Channel in Kenya: A Study in Effective Facilitation." In this video, he discusses the importance of facilitation and some of the key requirements to ensuring effective facilitation: strong value chain and end market analyses.

During my recent presentation with Harun Baiya (SITE Enterprises) on the formalization of the raw milk sector in Kenya, we discussed how good facilitation techniques can lead to the sustainable development of a value chain.

"Tourism done well," according to Kristin Lamoureax, means that issues of sustainability, local engagement, job creation, cultural sensitivity, and policy issues are all taken into account.

At Breakfast Seminar #60 on June 15, 2011, Mike Field of ACDI/VOCA presented on his experience with achieving sustainability in development projects by using the systems approach. After reviewing his own definition of sustainability—which involves ongoing efficiency improvements as well as expanding both the depth and breadth of benefits—Field talked about systemic forces which can either help or hinder sustainability.

A recap of USAID Breakfast Seminar #57, "Making Markets Work for the Poor: Experience, Results and Lessons from Katalyst"