Ephrem Niyongabo

Coordination between microfinance development strategies and global development strategies. Case studies of promoting small and micro rural enterprise policies in Burundi

This research starts from the assessment that efforts for developing microfinance must be joined up to support for  small and micro enterprises (SME).

From a microeconomic analysis of the real capacity of microfinance to meet needs for SME development, this research aims to develop a global perspective of coordination between microfinance and development policies. From this point of view, the goal is to identify elements that are to be foreseen in order to launch synergy between microfinance and other financing mechanisms on the one hand, and politics for promoting SME on the other hand.

Source of financing: Government of Burundi

Anais Périlleux

The Governance of Savings and Credit Cooperatives in Southern Countries

Often overlooked in research studies, savings and credit cooperatives do nevertheless actively participate to the microfinance sector in developing countries. The governance issue of these organisations is of the mere concern as it affects their success. Ms. Périlleux’s thesis aims to study the governance methods of cooperatives from both a theoretical and empirical perspective. The results could then be used for diagnoses and follow up of that type of organisations.

Source of financing: Research fellowship from the Belgian FRS-FNRS

The objective of the Fonds National pour la Recherche Scientifique is to promote the development of scientific research in the Communauté Française de Belgique by awarding loans to individual researchers and research teams.

Rhita Sukadi

Financial Intermediation and the Impact of Remittances on Development

The objective of the research is twofold. In the first place, the goal is to better understand the developmental impact of remittance transfers both on migrants (senders) and on the recipients in developing countries. The second goal is to consider whether there is a relationship between this developmental impact and the financial intermediaries involved in the transfer process.

The research will focus specifically on microfinance institutions as they are the only formal intermediates offering a wide range of financial services to migrants and recipients. The socio-economic profile of these two groups is similar to that of the target population of microfinance institutions.

Source of financing: Bernheim Foundation (Belgium)

The goal of the Bernheim Foundation is to support personal and professional initiatives, the spread of cross cultural understanding to facilitate the creation of social harmonious structures. These structures should be designed such that they meet the goals and activities of both individuals and society in a sustainable fashion.    

Annabel Vanroose

The Uneven Development of the Microfinance Sector

The objective of this research project is to identify political, institutional and economic factors that could explain the uneven distribution of the growth of microfinance in developing countries. The initial focus is on Latin America, followed by a comparison of experiences between Latin America and Africa. A data panel will be used to evaluate a model of divergence in development. This analysis will eventually be expanded to include the whole world. Finally, a case study will be conducted on the development of the microfinance sector in Peru.

Source of financing: Vrije Universiteit Brussel (Belgium)

Diana Vasquez

The Role of CSR and Multi-Sector Partnerships within the Agri-Food Industry as Promoting Development in Colombia

The objective of this research is to improve the knowledge and understanding of various CSR (corporate social responsibility) initiatives in Agri-Food companies in Colombia. The research focuses on multi-sector partnerships which have been created to promote rural development. This research also aims to discover how CSR strategies can accelerate the economical development of Colombia.

Source of financing: Lewin-de Castro fellowship, ULB (Belgium)

This fund has been created to help students who do not have sufficient means to start or continue their studies at ULB. Its goal is also to cover travel expenses related to field research and foreign internship assignments.