Blog

At the USAID Microenterprise Development Office Breakfast Seminar #54: Seeds of Change, the presenters from Abt Associates offered a compelling session on using a behavior change (BC) methodology to strengthen agriculture value chains. Abt’ers Gael O’Sullivan and Stephen Rahaim bring years of BC experience, especially in the health sector, to this relatively new USAID-supported approach to agriculture development.

Despite the weather challenges and a day’s postponement, Margie Brand and Ben Fowler presented a very engaging Breakfast Seminar #55 on Friday, January 28. The topic, “Using Value Chains to Move Vulnerable Households Up the Economic Ladder,” only scratches the surface of what the speakers covered during the seminar.

A screenshot of the CGD Commitment to Development Initiative website

A week ago, on December 8, 2010, I had the opportunity to attend the Microlinks After Hours Seminar #47 titled "Creating Pathways for the Poorest: Lessons Learned from the CGAP- Ford Foundation Graduation Program." The presentations by Aude de Montesquiou, Microfinance Analyst of the CGAP-Ford Foundation Graduation Program and Bill Abrams of the well-known US based non-profit Trickle Up were informative, as well as stimulating.

I want to dedicate this post to Vijay Mohajan and his Shodh Yatra (exploration of truth).

Social marketing applies promotional strategies to focus on targeted audiences with the goal of changing specific behaviors.

This post analyzes primary distinctions between different lending models used in microfinance.

Yesterday’s After Hours Seminar focusing on migrant-backed loans featured two speakers from William Davidson Institute (WDI), Khalid Al-Naif and Raul Reynoso and WOCCU’s Saul Wolf.

The 14th Annual MFC Conference on "Reorienting Microfinance Towards Balanced Growth" had an impressive opening plenary session.

More on Financial Inclusion

At Breakfast Seminar #59, Judy Payne gave a very interesting presentation on the role information and communication technologies can play in supporting agriculture value chain development.

A brief review of the Sanabel Conference closing plenary session on "Managing Political Risk and Contingency Planning" on June 9, 2011.

A recap post about the Sanabel Annual Conference Day One Plenary Session: "Sanabel State of the Industry Regional Overview: Political Instability, What Does it Mean for the Industry?"

Understanding how children and youth spend their time is crucial for designing effective development interventions that improve their well-being.

Highlights from the panel, “Exploring the Intersection of Adolescent Girls’ Reproductive Health and Economic Empowerment.”

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.”

Making Cents International’s Youth Economic Opportunities Conference was an important opportunity to gain greater consensus on best practices and emerging trends.

During the Global Youth Economic Opportunities Conference, Markus Goldstein, Senior Economist at the World Bank, spoke with Microlinks about an adolescent girls' empowerment project in Uganda implemented by BRAC and the World Bank.

Jasmine Thomas of Citi Foundation joined Microlinks for an interview following her participation in the plenary session, "How Can You Partner with Funders?" at the Global Youth Economic Opportunities Conference.

At the Global Youth Economic Opportunities Conference, Phil Psilos of RTI International shared his insights on innovations and challenges in youth workforce development.

According to Rhyne, one of the inexorable forces that is going to shape financial inclusion over the next decade is population change in developing countries.

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.

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

During the Youth Economic Opportunities Conference, Nicardo Neil of The Competitiveness Company spoke with Microlinks following his presentation at the session, "Catalyzing Youth Enterprise and Employment through Urban and Rural Value Chains.

Following her keynote address at the Youth Economic Opportunities Conference, Gabriele Zedlmayer, VP of Sustainability and Social Innovation at HP, spoke with Microlinks about HP's innovative work in youth economic development.