Activities
Newsletter Subscription
Stay up to date with Microfinance Pasifika events by subscribing to our newsletterAbout Microfinance Pasifika
The Microfinance Pasifika Network is an alliance of institutions committed to supporting disadvantaged people in the Pacific to improve their quality of life, through the provision of inclusive and sustainable financial services such as savings, credit, remittances and payment services and insurance...News
Marcella Willis' Report on the Microfinance Investments In Asia Conference (26th - 27th January 2010)
Marcella Willis is the UNCDF Chief Technical Advisor for the Inclusive Finance for the Under-served Economy (INFUSE) programme in Timor-Leste. She recently attended the Microfinance Investments in Asia conference held in Singapore from 26th - 27th January 2010. She agreed to share her thoughts and experience with her microfinance colleagues in the Asia Pacific region.
PFIP Newsflash: Mobile Phone Banking To Take Off In Samoa
On January 22, 2010, commercial banks, microfinance institutions, telecoms, civil society organizations, government officials and donor agencies gathered in Apia, Samoa, in to learn more about what mobile banking can offer to the island nation. The information exchange was co-sponsored by the Central Bank of Samoa (CBS) and the Pacific Financial Inclusion programme (PFIP) and was hosted at CBS. 53 representatives with interest in the topic attended a presentation on mobile money and remittances by Tillman Bruett, the PFIP Project Advisor, and then stayed for a discussion on how best to progress in Samoa.
FDC Information Release: January 2010
The Foundation for Development Cooperation (FDC) has recently been contracted to undertake the second phase of UNIFEM Pacific Partnerships to Improve Markets project in Fiji, which will run from January to May 2010. This project seeks to improve the social, economic and physical conditions of women market vendors and to encourage local governments and other bodies tasked with managing markets to adopt a gender responsive approach to marketplace planning, operations and governance.
FDC Briefing Note No. 9
As part of its work to increase financial inclusion in developing countries, FDC recently assessed various business models for the provision of financial services in Papua New Guinea (PNG).
Westpac To Launch Rural Banking This Year
Westpac is expected to launch its own rural mobile banking program before the end of the year. It also expects to provide more services and products for the microfinance sector.
Welcome to Microfinance Pasifika
Letter from the Chairman
I would like to take this opportunity to wish all of you a Happy New Year.
Since the Bank Papua New Guinea accepted the role of Chair in October 2009, we are pleased to see work proceeding with the Strategic Plan for 2010 -2014. This Plan should focus our efforts into key development areas for promoting microfinance and financial inclusion over the next 5 years. I encourage all our MFPN members to participate fully in this process to produce the final strategic plan.
While our major event for 2009 was the successful Pacific Microfinance Week in Nadi, Fiji we look forward to further interaction with our members and other stakeholders in the Pacific during 2010. We each have a role to play in promoting microfinance and financial inclusion throughout the region and if we work together through the Network I am sure that we can achieve great outcomes for the sector.
I look forward to working with you and the Network in 2010.
All the best in the New Year!
Benny Popoitai
Chair
Microfinance Pasifika Network
MFPN Members attended a Microfinance and Clean Energy Workshop
In the first week of December 2009, MFPN member microfinance institutions from Fiji (Fiji Council of Social Services Microfinance and National Centre for Small and Micro Enterprise Development), Samoa (South Pacific Business Development and Women in Business Development) and Vanuatu (Vanwods Microfiance, Inc.) attended the “Pacific Renewable Energy and Microfinance” workshop in Suva, Fiji.
The training workshop provided microfinance institutions across the Pacific with awareness on renewable energy and energy efficiency, and planning tools on how to strategically incorporate these new products into their business plan.
The event was organised by The Foundation for Development Cooperation (FDC), with funding provided by Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEP) an international multi-stakeholder partnership aiming to accelerate the market for renewable energy and energy efficiency. FDC will be working closely with workshop participants over the coming year to ensure the strategic development of appropriate energy loan products.