Microfinance Practice: [MFP] Community-Based Microfinance for Financial Inclusion/ Certificate Course by Coady and APMAS in Hyderabad

Dear fellow MFP members,

I am pleased to share with you this information about the Certificate Course Coady is offering in Collaboration with APMAS in Hyderabad, India during Dec 2-14, 2013.

Participants from countries in Africa, who wish to be exposed to and learn from Indian experience and also see first-hand the links between finance and value-chains/ livelihoods in the field, are especially encouraged to apply.

Best wishes,

Anuj

Community-Based Microfinance for Financial Inclusion

Two Week Certificate Course |December 2-14, 2013| Hyderabad, India

Coady International Institute, STFX is offering this two-week certificate course jointly with APMAS in Hyderabad, India. The course will focus on building skills and knowledge in community-based approaches in microfinance with emphasis on savings-led models, such as village savings and loan associations (VSLAs), self-help groups (SHGs) and their federations, financial cooperatives and credit unions, and other member-owned models from across the world. In India, the SHGs are particularly known for federating and also linking with Banks and other formal financial system, accessing services such as insurance, value-chain and livelihoods related finance. Cooperative Banks like SEWA has successfully created urban and rural outreach; offering multiple financial products as well as financial literacy education. VSLAs in Africa are beginning to link with Banks, with mobile technology paving the way. The course will help shape the thinking and help learn practical ways for resetting the agenda from micro-finance to financial inclusion.

Indeed, Community-Based approaches have proven to be critical for achieving deeper financial inclusion and to reach those who are not reached by banks or microfinance institutions; addressing both physical and social distance barriers. These approaches not only provide access to financial services, but also build solidarity and social capital, especially among women and other underserved communities, empowering them to manage their livelihoods and lives.

Participants will learn about latest developments and innovations in the field through in-depth case-studies, field visits, and with experienced guest faculty / practitioners (previous course brought-in senior practitioners such as Aloysius Fernandez, Jayshree Vyas, Prof Sriram, Praveen Reddy, Sybil Chidiac, Malcolm Harper, Usha Rani and more). The course brings together the right mix of practice and theory and shares practical tools and material.

Who Should Apply

This course is ideal for mid to senior-level managers in NGOs, rural finance practitioners, NGO-MFIs, bankers, policy makers, government agencies that promote CBMF organizations for financial inclusion & livelihood promotion, central bank or government regulators, capacity building service providers, and donors supporting community-based approaches in microfinance. Ideally, the participant should have a minimum of three years of experience in microfinance. Participants should have competence in English.

A few spaces are reserved for participants from other countries in South Asia and from Africa.

Program Venue

The course is offered in Hyderabad city of Andhra Pradesh state in India at National Institute for Micro, small and Medium Enterprises (ni-msme) Yousufguda, Hyderabad - 500 045

To apply or for more information visit http://www.apmas.org/cmbf.aspx.

Anuj K. Jain

Sr. Coady Fellow| Microfinance and Development| COADY International Institute

St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, B2G 2W5