Symbiotics NewsWatch #186, 22 November 2011

Nov. 22	Giving Value to Migrants' Savings In 2010, the World Bank estimated formal money transfers to developing countries at US$ 325 billion. Given the sums involved, there is a need to identify an appropriate strategy to truly leverage these flows, to improve the standards of living for migrants and their families, as well as for their countries of origin. Source: Microfinance Insights
Nov. 21	India: Lessons from the Commercial Micro-Finance Model in India Fresh perspectives and radical (systemic) changes are required for developing an enabling micro-finance regulatory and supervisory mechanism that can really work on the ground for the benefit of large numbers of low income people. Source: Moneylife
Nov. 18	African Banks Waking Up to The Needs of SMEs and The Unbanked  A recent McKinsey study noted that just 20% of the population of Africa had access to banking services (including South Africa). In Zambia, for example, an estimated 25% of the population has access to a bank whilst in Benin there are just 2.89 commercial bank branches for every 100,000 adults. The comparable ratio in Germany is 18 and for Brazil 14. Source: How We Made It In Africa
Nov. 17	Visa Launches Prepaid Product for Developing Countries  Visa has announced a significant step to bringing access to secure financial services and electronic payments to consumers in developing countries by introducing a new product serving the needs of unbanked and under-banked consumers. MTN plans to offer it to Mobile Money customers across its markets. Source: MoneyWeb
Nov. 17	Singapore’s First Microloan Scheme Taking Off Singapore will soon see its first microloan scheme – to help low-income and unemployed Singaporeans venture into business. DBS Bank will help set it up with $5 million seed funding from the Tote Board.Supported by the Tote Board, SE Hub was set up in March this year to invest in and incubate social enterprises. Source: BWTP
Nov. 16	Brazil: Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs Releases Report on Social and Inclusive Businesses in Brazil Data from new research coordinated by the Brazil Chapter of the Aspen Network of Development Entrepreneurs (ANDE), the AVINA Foundation, and Potencia Ventures demonstrates significant growth for social and inclusive businesses in Brazil. The purpose of the study was to identify which regions and groups are fueling the most economic and social change. Source: The Aspen Institute