Friday, April 15, 2016

[MFP] SMART webinar on SPTF

 

All,

I just heard that there was an SPTF webinar this past Monday, 11 April, for SMART to "outline the latest updates on the responsible pricing standards and indicators for Smart certification 2.0."  Unfortunately, I didn't learn about the webinar until it was over.

Did anyone participate in this?  Are there any public materials on what decisions they are making on their position regarding responsible pricing?

You can see the announcement in the SPTF April newsletter link here: http://sptf.info/images/sptf-newsletter-April2016.pdf

Thanks much,

Chuck Waterfield
Founder, MFTransparency

__._,_.___
Posted by: Chuck Waterfield <chuck.waterfield@gmail.com>
Reply via web post • Reply to sender • Reply to group • Start a New Topic • Messages in this topic (1)
WARNING! If you hit REPLY, your message will go to the entire listserve, not just the original author!

.

__,_._,___
No comments:

Thursday, April 14, 2016

Re: [MFP] Microfin.com website is no more

 

I thought todays xkcd was particularly apt:
http://xkcd.com/1667/

thanks for all the years chuck.

On Thu, Apr 14, 2016 at 12:10 AM, Narasimhan srinivasan
shrin54@yahoo.co.in [MicrofinancePractice]
<MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com> wrote:
>
>
> Chuck
> Microfin had been the software of choice especially for planning and
> projections for a long time - about two decades?. Many leading MFIs started
> off with Microfin and benefited considerably through your training courses.
> I have been surprised at most unlikely locations where a version of Microfin
> turned up as the underlying planning tool. As Microfin takes its last
> steps, many in the sector are thankful for its contributions in their
> formative years.
> You, Chuck, deserve special thanks. I hope that you are coming up with
> something new that is as impactful as Microfin and MFT.
>
> Best regards
> Srinivasan
> On 14-Apr-2016, at 2:56 AM, Chuck Waterfield chuck.waterfield@gmail.com
> [MicrofinancePractice] wrote:
>
>
>
> All,
>
>
> As of this week the website www.microfin.com is no longer used for the
> Microfin software. As clearly indicated on the website for the past four
> years, I no longer provide technical support for the software, and now I no
> longer support the website either.
>
> The software (unchanged over the past five years) is still available and can
> still be used, though as Microsoft changes operating systems and changes
> versions of Excel, it is by no means guaranteed to work on all systems.
>
> The link below will download the latest (and final) version of Microfin,
> version 4.14. Please keep this email and link for your records if you have
> any interest.
>
> https://dl.dropboxusercontent.com/u/2371450/Microfin%204.14.zip
>
> In case you're curious, Microfin was developed in January 1997, nineteen
> years ago. The website was active for nearly that entire time. That's a
> pretty good run for a software program that was always 100% free for that
> entire duration. And it still is available and still is free… and still in
> use by a good number of people. It just doesn't have a website. :)
>
> Regards,
>
> Chuck Waterfield
>
>
>
>
>
>

__._,_.___
Posted by: Tapan Parikh <tapan@cs.washington.edu>
Reply via web post • Reply to sender • Reply to group • Start a New Topic • Messages in this topic (3)
WARNING! If you hit REPLY, your message will go to the entire listserve, not just the original author!

.

__,_._,___
No comments:

Wednesday, April 13, 2016

Re: [MFP] Microfin.com website is no more

 

Chuck

Microfin had been the software of choice especially for planning and projections for a long time - about two decades?.  Many leading MFIs started off with Microfin and  benefited considerably through your training courses.  I have been surprised at most unlikely locations where a version of Microfin turned up as the underlying planning tool.  As Microfin takes its last steps, many in the sector are thankful for its contributions in their formative years.  
You, Chuck, deserve special thanks. I hope that you are coming up with something new that is as impactful as  Microfin and MFT.

Best regards
Srinivasan
On 14-Apr-2016, at 2:56 AM, Chuck Waterfield chuck.waterfield@gmail.com [MicrofinancePractice] wrote:

 

All,


As of this week the website www.microfin.com is no longer used for the Microfin software.  As clearly indicated on the website for the past four years, I no longer provide technical support for the software, and now I no longer support the website either. 

The software (unchanged over the past five years) is still available and can still be used, though as Microsoft changes operating systems and changes versions of Excel, it is by no means guaranteed to work on all systems.

The link below will download the latest (and final) version of Microfin, version 4.14.  Please keep this email and link for your records if you have any interest.


In case you're curious, Microfin was developed in January 1997, nineteen years ago.  The website was active for nearly that entire time.  That's a pretty good run for a software program that was always 100% free for that entire duration.  And it still is available and still is free… and still in use by a good number of people.  It just doesn't have a website.  :)

Regards,

Chuck Waterfield



__._,_.___
Posted by: Narasimhan srinivasan <shrin54@yahoo.co.in>
Reply via web post • Reply to sender • Reply to group • Start a New Topic • Messages in this topic (2)
WARNING! If you hit REPLY, your message will go to the entire listserve, not just the original author!

.

__,_._,___
No comments:

[MFP] Microfin.com website is no more

 

All,


As of this week the website www.microfin.com is no longer used for the Microfin software.  As clearly indicated on the website for the past four years, I no longer provide technical support for the software, and now I no longer support the website either. 

The software (unchanged over the past five years) is still available and can still be used, though as Microsoft changes operating systems and changes versions of Excel, it is by no means guaranteed to work on all systems.

The link below will download the latest (and final) version of Microfin, version 4.14.  Please keep this email and link for your records if you have any interest.


In case you're curious, Microfin was developed in January 1997, nineteen years ago.  The website was active for nearly that entire time.  That's a pretty good run for a software program that was always 100% free for that entire duration.  And it still is available and still is free… and still in use by a good number of people.  It just doesn't have a website.  :)

Regards,

Chuck Waterfield

__._,_.___
Posted by: Chuck Waterfield <chuck.waterfield@gmail.com>
Reply via web post • Reply to sender • Reply to group • Start a New Topic • Messages in this topic (1)
WARNING! If you hit REPLY, your message will go to the entire listserve, not just the original author!

.

__,_._,___
No comments:

[MFP] New research from CFI on building financial capability

 

Colleagues,

 

On Tuesday, the Center for Financial Inclusion at Accion released new research funded by JPMorgan Chase & Co. on the current state of financial-capability building – that is, how providers are helping to prepare and support customers to make sound financial decisions.  The study focuses particularly on developments in India and Mexico.  For the press release, please go to the CFI site here; for the fully body of study, please go here.

 

Regards,

Bruce

 

Bruce J. MacDonald | VP, Communications & Operations | Center for Financial Inclusion at Accion | 10 Fawcett Street, Suite 204, Cambridge, MA 02138 USA

Tel +1 617.625.7080, x.1245 | Fax +1 617.625.7020 | bmacdonald@accion.org | www.centerforfinancialinclusion.org | skype: bruce.j.macdonald

 

Investing in individuals. Improving our world.

 

__._,_.___
Posted by: Bruce MacDonald <bmacdonald@accion.org>
Reply via web post • Reply to sender • Reply to group • Start a New Topic • Messages in this topic (1)
WARNING! If you hit REPLY, your message will go to the entire listserve, not just the original author!

.

__,_._,___
No comments:

Friday, April 8, 2016

RE: [MFP] Call for Expressions of Interest - Innovations for Poverty Action

 

Sorry, poaching.

 

From: MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com [mailto:MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com]
Sent: Friday, April 8, 2016 11:38 AM
To: MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [MFP] Call for Expressions of Interest - Innovations for Poverty Action

 




I have heard about staff pouching as a problem among many African MFIs.  A symptom of too few qualitied staff in the country, so we should not expect otherwise.   Dick

 

From: MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com [mailto:MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com]
Sent: Friday, April 8, 2016 11:24 AM
To: MFP
Subject: Re: [MFP] Call for Expressions of Interest - Innovations for Poverty Action

 



Sadly, none of this should surprise us.   It is all the "logical" strategy that can be developed by a person getting average grades in an MBA program from an average MBA school.  Let someone else do the costs of screening, then steal their best clients.  Low costs, fast profits.  Nothing innovative.  It's just not the sort of thing microfinance would stoop to do in the olden days.  

 

It may be considered unseemly and distasteful, but it's very profitable.  And those making the profit grow the fastest, become the biggest, and then just keep getting bigger.  They use their power to then carve out oligopolisitc conditions, and life is easy for them.

 

The problems for many of us are then:  

 

* How do we compete with them? (We're not coming even close at the present)

* How we avoid the client damage they are doing bleeding over to our client base? (We're not doing this, either)

* How do we avoid getting wrapped up in the negative media publicizing the nasty things they are doing (I'm talking to you, Milford :) )

* At what point do we say "Let's work with some other area of development and move away from this dangerous microfinance stuff"? (If you haven't noticed, the exodus is picking up speed)

 

Chuck Waterfield

Recent microfinance emigrant

 

 

On Apr 8, 2016, at 10:54 AM, 'Meyer, Richard' meyer.19@osu.edu [MicrofinancePractice] <MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

 

 

And the words persuade and big enough are the most problematic.  Dick

 

From: MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com [mailto:MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com] 
Sent: Friday, April 8, 2016 10:13 AM
To: MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [MFP] Re: Call for Expressions of Interest - Innovations for Poverty Action

 




The sting is in the conditional in  your last sentence Paul.

 

From: MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com [mailto:MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com] 
Sent: 08 April 2016 14:18
To: MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [MFP] Re: Call for Expressions of Interest - Innovations for Poverty Action

 

  

How about that? I just read Jeff's remark that "in Guatemala where Compartamos is now working they are attempting to recruit savings group promoters pay them a lot more and give the ex-promotoras a bonus if they deliver their groups to Compartamos." 

 

I recently ran into a similar phenomenon in Kenya, where Equity Bank is paying some VSLA promoters a reported 100 Kshs - about a buck - for each SG member they bring in to open an account. Kind of flattering to the Savings Groups, to think that the members are experienced and serious and reliable, and will be good bank clients. That's what I would do if I were a banker: look for SG members as clients. They have credit and savings discipline and assets which I might be able to acquire if I can persuade them to take loans that are just big enough. 

 

Paul Rippey

 

 




 

 



 




__._,_.___
Posted by: "Meyer, Richard" <meyer.19@osu.edu>
Reply via web post • Reply to sender • Reply to group • Start a New Topic • Messages in this topic (8)
Have you tried the highest rated email app?
With 4.5 stars in iTunes, the Yahoo Mail app is the highest rated email app on the market. What are you waiting for? The Yahoo Mail app is fast, beautiful and intuitive. Try it today!
WARNING! If you hit REPLY, your message will go to the entire listserve, not just the original author!

.

__,_._,___
No comments:

RE: [MFP] Call for Expressions of Interest - Innovations for Poverty Action

 

I have heard about staff pouching as a problem among many African MFIs.  A symptom of too few qualitied staff in the country, so we should not expect otherwise.   Dick

 

From: MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com [mailto:MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com]
Sent: Friday, April 8, 2016 11:24 AM
To: MFP
Subject: Re: [MFP] Call for Expressions of Interest - Innovations for Poverty Action

 



Sadly, none of this should surprise us.   It is all the "logical" strategy that can be developed by a person getting average grades in an MBA program from an average MBA school.  Let someone else do the costs of screening, then steal their best clients.  Low costs, fast profits.  Nothing innovative.  It's just not the sort of thing microfinance would stoop to do in the olden days.  

 

It may be considered unseemly and distasteful, but it's very profitable.  And those making the profit grow the fastest, become the biggest, and then just keep getting bigger.  They use their power to then carve out oligopolisitc conditions, and life is easy for them.

 

The problems for many of us are then:  

 

* How do we compete with them? (We're not coming even close at the present)

* How we avoid the client damage they are doing bleeding over to our client base? (We're not doing this, either)

* How do we avoid getting wrapped up in the negative media publicizing the nasty things they are doing (I'm talking to you, Milford :) )

* At what point do we say "Let's work with some other area of development and move away from this dangerous microfinance stuff"? (If you haven't noticed, the exodus is picking up speed)

 

Chuck Waterfield

Recent microfinance emigrant

 

 

On Apr 8, 2016, at 10:54 AM, 'Meyer, Richard' meyer.19@osu.edu [MicrofinancePractice] <MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com> wrote:

 

 

And the words persuade and big enough are the most problematic.  Dick

 

From: MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com [mailto:MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com] 
Sent: Friday, April 8, 2016 10:13 AM
To: MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [MFP] Re: Call for Expressions of Interest - Innovations for Poverty Action

 





The sting is in the conditional in  your last sentence Paul.

 

From: MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com [mailto:MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com] 
Sent: 08 April 2016 14:18
To: MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [MFP] Re: Call for Expressions of Interest - Innovations for Poverty Action

 

  

How about that? I just read Jeff's remark that "in Guatemala where Compartamos is now working they are attempting to recruit savings group promoters pay them a lot more and give the ex-promotoras a bonus if they deliver their groups to Compartamos." 

 

I recently ran into a similar phenomenon in Kenya, where Equity Bank is paying some VSLA promoters a reported 100 Kshs - about a buck - for each SG member they bring in to open an account. Kind of flattering to the Savings Groups, to think that the members are experienced and serious and reliable, and will be good bank clients. That's what I would do if I were a banker: look for SG members as clients. They have credit and savings discipline and assets which I might be able to acquire if I can persuade them to take loans that are just big enough. 

 

Paul Rippey

 

 





 

 




__._,_.___
Posted by: "Meyer, Richard" <meyer.19@osu.edu>
Reply via web post • Reply to sender • Reply to group • Start a New Topic • Messages in this topic (7)
Have you tried the highest rated email app?
With 4.5 stars in iTunes, the Yahoo Mail app is the highest rated email app on the market. What are you waiting for? The Yahoo Mail app is fast, beautiful and intuitive. Try it today!
WARNING! If you hit REPLY, your message will go to the entire listserve, not just the original author!

.

__,_._,___
No comments:

Re: [MFP] Call for Expressions of Interest - Innovations for Poverty Action

 

Sadly, none of this should surprise us.   It is all the "logical" strategy that can be developed by a person getting average grades in an MBA program from an average MBA school.  Let someone else do the costs of screening, then steal their best clients.  Low costs, fast profits.  Nothing innovative.  It's just not the sort of thing microfinance would stoop to do in the olden days.  


It may be considered unseemly and distasteful, but it's very profitable.  And those making the profit grow the fastest, become the biggest, and then just keep getting bigger.  They use their power to then carve out oligopolisitc conditions, and life is easy for them.

The problems for many of us are then:  

* How do we compete with them? (We're not coming even close at the present)
* How we avoid the client damage they are doing bleeding over to our client base? (We're not doing this, either)
* How do we avoid getting wrapped up in the negative media publicizing the nasty things they are doing (I'm talking to you, Milford :) )
* At what point do we say "Let's work with some other area of development and move away from this dangerous microfinance stuff"? (If you haven't noticed, the exodus is picking up speed)

Chuck Waterfield
Recent microfinance emigrant


On Apr 8, 2016, at 10:54 AM, 'Meyer, Richard' meyer.19@osu.edu [MicrofinancePractice] <MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com> wrote:


And the words persuade and big enough are the most problematic.  Dick

 

From: MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com [mailto:MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com] 
Sent: Friday, April 8, 2016 10:13 AM
To: MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [MFP] Re: Call for Expressions of Interest - Innovations for Poverty Action

 




The sting is in the conditional in  your last sentence Paul.

 

From: MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com [mailto:MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com] 
Sent: 08 April 2016 14:18
To: MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [MFP] Re: Call for Expressions of Interest - Innovations for Poverty Action

 

  

How about that? I just read Jeff's remark that "in Guatemala where Compartamos is now working they are attempting to recruit savings group promoters pay them a lot more and give the ex-promotoras a bonus if they deliver their groups to Compartamos." 

 

I recently ran into a similar phenomenon in Kenya, where Equity Bank is paying some VSLA promoters a reported 100 Kshs - about a buck - for each SG member they bring in to open an account. Kind of flattering to the Savings Groups, to think that the members are experienced and serious and reliable, and will be good bank clients. That's what I would do if I were a banker: look for SG members as clients. They have credit and savings discipline and assets which I might be able to acquire if I can persuade them to take loans that are just big enough. 

 

Paul Rippey

 

 






__._,_.___
Posted by: Chuck Waterfield <chuck.waterfield@gmail.com>
Reply via web post • Reply to sender • Reply to group • Start a New Topic • Messages in this topic (5)
Have you tried the highest rated email app?
With 4.5 stars in iTunes, the Yahoo Mail app is the highest rated email app on the market. What are you waiting for? The Yahoo Mail app is fast, beautiful and intuitive. Try it today!
WARNING! If you hit REPLY, your message will go to the entire listserve, not just the original author!

.

__,_._,___
No comments:

RE: [MFP] Re: Call for Expressions of Interest - Innovations for Poverty Action

 

Exciting and scary at the same time, when the regulators are still sleeping..

Thanks Paul.

 

anuj

 

From: MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com [mailto:MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com]
Sent: Friday, April 08, 2016 3:18 PM
To: MicrofinancePractice@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [MFP] Re: Call for Expressions of Interest - Innovations for Poverty Action

 

 

How about that? I just read Jeff's remark that "in Guatemala where Compartamos is now working they are attempting to recruit savings group promoters pay them a lot more and give the ex-promotoras a bonus if they deliver their groups to Compartamos." 

 

I recently ran into a similar phenomenon in Kenya, where Equity Bank is paying some VSLA promoters a reported 100 Kshs - about a buck - for each SG member they bring in to open an account. Kind of flattering to the Savings Groups, to think that the members are experienced and serious and reliable, and will be good bank clients. That's what I would do if I were a banker: look for SG members as clients. They have credit and savings discipline and assets which I might be able to acquire if I can persuade them to take loans that are just big enough. 

 

Paul Rippey

 

__._,_.___
Posted by: Anuj Jain <ajain@stfx.ca>
Reply via web post • Reply to sender • Reply to group • Start a New Topic • Messages in this topic (6)
Have you tried the highest rated email app?
With 4.5 stars in iTunes, the Yahoo Mail app is the highest rated email app on the market. What are you waiting for? The Yahoo Mail app is fast, beautiful and intuitive. Try it today!
WARNING! If you hit REPLY, your message will go to the entire listserve, not just the original author!

.

__,_._,___
No comments:
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)