| Country: BOLIVIA
Description of the Institution
LOCFUND is a Local Currency Fund for Microfinance Institutions in Latin America and
the Caribbean. It was created as an initiative of IADB, Norfund and FMO and the
managing company is Bolivian Investment Management. Locfund manages the fund
from La Paz and Costa Rica applying an innovative methodology for local currency risk
control. 13 countries have received the financing so far and new markets are being
explored. Locfund provides technical assistance in asset and liability management and
also risk control and management to all of their clients. Locfund assumes the foreign
exchange risk.
Name of the student : Ines Querejazu (2008-09)
Title of thesis :Dollarization vs. Foreign Exchange Risk in the Bolivian
Microfinance Industry
Description of the Institution
FINCAFÉ (Servicios Financieros Cafetaleros) was created in 1998 and is recognized by the Bolivian authorities as a non-profit National Civil since 2002. The institution is based in El Alto, Bolivia, and was founded in 1998 by peasant economic organisations (OECAs). Its mission is to provide financial services to the small-scale coffee producers from the Yungas region.
Name of the student : Ivan Tygel (2007-2008)
Title of thesis : Redefining the notion of sustainability in Microfinance: a managerial challenge to avoid Mission Drift
Country: COLOMBIA
- Internship: WWB Colombia - Cali
Description of the Institution
WWB Colombia (WWB C.) is a microcredit NGO part of the renowned “Women World Banking” network. It was created in Cali in 1980 by a group of visionary women of the Valle region. Its underlying philosophy and original goal was to support the economic development of Colombian women head of household. Since its beginning as a pioneer microcredit institution, the foundation immediately experienced an incredible success.
It became step by step the third major microcredit provider within the whole country, competing with the major Colombian banks. It is actually in the process of turning into a regulated entity. It covers twelve departments of the country with a network of 59 branches. The success of this innovative and dynamic NGO mainly lies in its knowledge and experience of the Colombian market, as well as its risk management and transparency. In 2007, Forbes magazine mentioned WWB C. as one of the best MFIs worldwide.
Name of the student : Caroline Bosa (2007-2008)
Title of thesis : Would a Regulatory Adjustment boost the Microcredit Market in Colombia?
Country: COSTA RICA
- Internship: FONAFIFO (National Fund for Forestry Financing)
Description of the Institution
FONAFIFO (National Fund for Forestry Financing) is a branch the Ministry of Environmental and Energy and Transports (MINAET) of Costa Rica, it has the objective to finance small and medium size producers using credits or other economic instruments, in order to achieve sustainable forest management through a financial mechanism of Payment for Environmental Services (PES) based on the disburse of funds from fuel taxes and establishing a primary environmental services market. This organization has the potential interest to introduce Microfinance products such as Natural Savings an Micro credit combined to PES and Certificated of Environmental Services, in order to impulse local economic development in remote and depressed rural and forest areas of the country.
Name of the student: Ferdinando Didonna (2008-2009)
Title of thesis : Micro financial products for forestry project in FONAFIFO Costa Rica:
Stakeholders approach for the natural savings strategy
Country: ECUADOR
Description of the Institution
The Center of Employment Promotion for the urban informal sector (CEPESIU) has been created in 1983 as a research centre on Ecuadorian micro enterprises. At that time, CEPESIU operated as an institution that provided financial services to small and micro enterprises. It participates in the human and economic development of its areas of influence. It operates through three offices in three of the country's largest cities: Quito (Pichincha), Guayaquil (Guayas) and Riobamba (Chimborazo).
In Quito are managed activities related to the executive direction of CEPESIU, customer services and management of different institutional projects of which it is in charge. The service in which the internship has been carried out is the project office, managed by Miguel Silva, who is also in charge of the SPI (Popular Investment Companies) project in collaboration with SOS FAIM.
Name of the student : Adrien Brunetti (2007-2008)
Title of thesis : "Redefining the notion of sustainability in Microfinance: a managerial challenge to avoid Mission Drift"
Description of the Institution
Trias is a Belgian development organization that supports its partner organizations in the South who in turn help people with their businesses (small entrepreneurs and farmers) and defend their interests. They focus on sustainable local economical development and on the live hood security of their target group: small entrepreneurs and family farmers.
Name of the student : Sukadi Ritha (2005-2006)
Title of thesis : "Savings in MIFS: from mobilisation to financial sustainability. Case of the Ecuadorian COAC 4de Octubre"
Country: EL SALVADOR
- Internship: Fundacion Campo
Description of the Institution
Fundacion Campo is a MFI initially funded by CARE to help local and mainly rural communities around the third city of El Salvador. Fundacion Campo serves more than 6OOO customers, mainly in small rural communities ut more and more in cities as well in the eastern part of the Country. A small and dynamic team of 20 people under a very dynamic contributes to a steady growth of that organisation with a very interesting decentralized approach of loan decision process.
Name of the student : Michel Genet (2007-2008)
Title of thesis: "Remittances & Micro-crédit: quelle alliance possible?"
Country: MEXICO
- Internship: ProMujer Mexico
Description of the Institution
Pro Mujer México is part of the red Pro Mujer. Pro Mujer México has been created in 2002 and the national office is based in Pachuca de Soto, State of Hidalgo. The philosophy of Pro Mujer is to contribute to women well-being by providing an integrated package of services, such as educational modules, health care services and linkages with external organisations. Pro Mujer is considered as a leading specialist on how to implement non financial services in an MFI. Pro Mujer is also present in Bolivia, Nicaragua, Perú, and Argentina.
Name of the student : Julie Bouchat (2007-2008)
Title of thesis :
"Educational Services in an MFI Structure: The Case of Pro Mujer México"
- Internship: Planet Finance
Description of the Institution
Planet Finance has for mission to develop the microfinance sector. Its objectives are: develop effective tools to develop microfinance worldwide, guarantee ethics and excellence in the development of all activities, and become a self-sufficient organization by developing diversified and sustainable products.
PlaNet Finance supports these financial intermediaries and increases their growth by federating them and providing operational services which enable them to strengthen their technical capacities and financial resources. PlaNet Finance also works with the private sector (banks and financial institutions), governments and international organizations in order to increase microfinance sustainability.
Name of the student : Merli Gabriele (2005-2006)
Title of thesis : "Microfinance and the Mexican export-oriented cooperatives: Are there opportunities for an adapted financial product to cope with the benefits of international labels and the costs of certification?"
Country: PERU
Description of the Institution
MicroRate is a rating agency which is specialized in the evaluation of microfinance institutions in order to improve the flow of funding between investors and microfinance sector. Its mission is “to be leading microfinance information services provider. MicroRate will accomplish this by maintaining a high level of quality in its analyses and services, along with independence and integrity, and an unyielding, long term commitment to the poor”. It has three offices: The headquarter is in Washington DC which is in charge of assist with the ratings, coordinated specialized products, sales, investor services, industry studies, MIV evaluations and profiles. The other offices are located in Peru and Morocco. The team in Lima is made up by seven people, the Latin American Manager, two senior analysts, an analyst, and two junior analysts and an executive administrator. The office in Lima, Peru is in charge of the Latin America & the Caribbean region rating operations, while the offices in Belgium and Morocco are in charge of the Eastern European and African rating operations.
Name of the student : Carolina Gonzalez (2008-09)
Title of thesis: Is the global financial crisis hurting the liquidity and funding of the
Peruvian NBMFIs?
Description of the Institution
La cooperative para la integración y el desarrollo rural -CIDERURAL- is a SACCOs (savings and credit cooperatives) of the second degree, under which the following eight organizations fall: SACCO Los Andes (Apurimac), SACCO Crediflorida (Junin), SACCO Rondesa (Cajamarca), SACCO Norandino (Cajamarca), SACCO San Salvador (Puno), SACCO Credinaranjillo (Huanuco), NGO peruana mide (Cusco), and Asociación café cacao Peru (Lima).
CIDERURAL was founded the 31 March 2008, with the aim to contribute to the construction of an efficient and stable financial system in the rural sector. Providing savings and credit to small-producers, micro-entrepreneurs and workers of the rural or urban sector. The main contributions of CIDERURAL are the increased access to savings and credit, strengthening of its first degree partners and an enhanced scale of operations due to the cooperation between these 8 organizations. Moreover CIDERURAL believes that this union can overcome financing problems that occur in rural areas in Peru, through the canalization of funds between them while they build up their presence on the social and political map of Peru (SOS Faim 2008).
Name of the student : Marilou Siau (2008-09)
Title of thesis: Challenges of Microfinance institutions on the remittance Market.
Description of the Institution
El Fondo de Garantía para Latino-América” (FOGAL) has been launched in 1992 through an SOS-FAIM’s initiative. Since June 2004 FOGAL is an independent and autonomous Peruvian NGO based in Lima operated under the presidency of Mr. Wilfredo Necochea Tello.
FOGAL is a development support organization that facilitates the access to credits – through guarantee issuances – to organizations targeting poor populations from rural and marginally-urban areas, which traditionally have not been subject to credit in order to finance their sustainable activities.
FOGAL counts with three funding partners: an international NGO (SOS-FAIM Belgium), an Ecuadorian microfinance institution (CEPESIU) and a Peruvian cooperative (Cooperativa Agraria Cafetalera “La Florida”). At May 2008 FOGAL had 2 500 000 € at its disposal to issue guarantees. Nowadays, FOGAL’s portfolio uses 90% of its funds, guaranteeing 27 partners (agricultural cooperatives and microfinance institutions) in 3 Andean countries (Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador).
Name of the student : Paul Surreaux (2007-2008)
Title of thesis: "Insight on guarantee structures specialized in microfinance: How can guarantee funds support core microfinance institutions in Latin America?"
Description of the Institution
ECLOF Peru (EP) is a Microfinance NGO established in 1986. Its mission is to provide Fair Credit for Human Development and Sustainable Communities in witness to the Christian Faith. For that EP works in the poorest areas of Lima (Cono Norte and Cono Sur), Puno and Juliaca, offering credit either to small groups (Grupos Solidarios) or Bancos Comunales (minimum 10 persons).
Name of the student : Francesca Randazzo (2007-2008)
Title of thesis: "Is developing Non Financial Services the way for Microfinance Insitutions to accomplish their major mission?"
- Internship:
MINCETUR: Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism – “Ministerio de Comercio Exterior y Turismo
Description of the Institution
During my one year stay in Peru, I actually did not actually work for a microfinance institution. Instead, I did my internship at the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Tourism - MINCETUR, helping SMEs to export within the framework of a European Commission funded project.
In parallel to this work, I visited 6 MFIs and some of their clients, other actors of the sector such as investors, NGOs, networks of MFIs and the SBS - Superintency of Banks and Insurances regulating the banking sector of the country in general and allowing microfinance activities in particular.
My internship along with the above mentioned organizations visited allowed me to define criteria whether exporting was a viable solution for small Peruvian producers. In the case it was feasible for small producers to export, the thesis tried to define what were the respective roles of MFIs and downscaling banks.
Name of the student : Xavier Mommens (2006-2007)
Title of thesis : "Integration of small Peruvian producers in the export business. The respective roles of MFIs and/or downscaling banks"
- Internship:
Edymes Proempresa
Description of the Institution
EDPYME Proempresa S.A. is a Peruvian Entity for the Development of Small and Micro Enterprises (EDPYME), created in 1998. It is a private limited company dedicated to granting credits to small and microenterprises. It is regulated under the General Law of the Financial and Insurance Systems of the Superintendency of Banking, Insurance and Private Pension Funds (SBS), Law N°26702 and its Amendments.
Proempresa’s mission is to profitably provide, in a warm and efficient way, integral financial services to small and micro enterprises so as to foster their development.
Name of the student : Aude-Marine Chevrier (2006-2007)
Title of thesis : "Why do Entities for the Development of Small and Microenterprises (EDPYMEs)
lack competitive advantages in the Peruvian Microfinance market ? The case
of Proempresa" |
