Near the end of 2008, Unitus had the unique opportunity to sit down with one of the most promising leaders in microfinance today, Ingrid Munro, founder and director of Unitus partner Jamii Bora Trust. The interview was published in the November/December 2008 issue of Microfinance Insights, the industry’s leading trade publication. In an intimate conversation,… Read more >
Category: Update
New Unitus Board Chair: Joseph Grenny
January 1, 2009 – Update
The Unitus board of directors and staff are pleased to announce that Joseph Grenny has accepted the role as board chair. Joseph is a co-founder of Unitus and has been on the board since the organization’s inception, offering a rich history and deep knowledge of our work. He brings strong professional expertise in a number… Read more >
Unitus Partner MBK Ventura Ranked Top-Performing MFI by MIX
January 1, 2009 – Update
In December, MIX (Microfinance Information Exchange, Inc.) released the 2008 MIX Global 100 Composite, its annual report ranking the top 100 MFIs throughout the developing world. The report analyzes and ranks MFI performance based on 2007 data. Four Unitus partners were recognized: MBK Ventura was named the top-performing MFI for the year, while SKS, AMK, and Grameen Koota ranked… Read more >
Boeing Partners with Unitus
January 1, 2009 – Update
Unitus is excited to announce a new and powerful partnership with The Boeing Company, the world’s leading aerospace company. Boeing’s generous support will help Unitus expand its work throughout East Africa in 2009, increasing access to microfinance for thousands of people across the region. The first of its kind for Boeing, the grant will allow… Read more >
2008: The Year in Review
January 1, 2009 – Update
Thanks to the generosity and insight of our supporters, 2008 was a year in which great challenges were met with even greater achievements. It is amazing to us all here at Unitus to see how the enthusiasm, caring, and commitment of so many remarkable individuals—from passionate donors at home to visionary social entrepreneurs abroad—can come… Read more >
Expanding Microfinance: East Africa
January 1, 2009 – Update
New Partnerships and Regional Office Underway When the founders of Unitus met with Muhammad Yunus nearly eight years ago to learn about the Grameen Bank and microcredit, they were inspired to grow this tool for large-scale poverty alleviation as quickly as possible. Much has changed since that time, including the reach of Unitus partners. In… Read more >
LifeBank Foundation Passes 200,000-Client Milestone
October 1, 2008 – Update
Unitus is pleased to announce that LifeBank Foundation has surpassed the 200,000-client milestone. Based in the Philippines, LifeBank has been a Unitus partner since 2006. Last year, the organization grew its client base by an impressive 105 percent, and anticipates 80 percent growth by the end of 2008. LifeBank began as a rural bank in… Read more >
Unitus Leadership Summit 2008
October 1, 2008 – Update
Unitus partners convene in Bali, Indonesia How are microfinance institutions (MFIs) dealing with the credit crunch, and what advice do they have for their peers? How do you grow an MFI rapidly while maintaining its core mission? What products and services are working beyond microcredit loans, and how do you design and implement them? How… Read more >
Congratulations to Ujjivan!
August 1, 2008 – Update
On July 8, Unitus partner Ujjivan crossed the 100,000-client threshold, a major accomplishment. Headed by CEO Samit Ghosh, the organization reached the milestone in just 982 days. Ujjivan launched the first of its pilot programs in November 2005 in Bangalore, India, and currently operates 68 branches centered around Bangalore, Kolkata, and New Delhi. A Unitus… Read more >
Microfinance and the Global Food Crisis
August 1, 2008 – Update
The following article is adapted from the July 2008 issue of Unitus’s partner newsletter, “The Accelerator.” The piece is specifically focused on helping MFIs prepare for and respond to the drastic increase in food prices occurring throughout the developing world. As economies adjust to the global rise in food prices, the growing crisis is expected… Read more >
Unitus Joins Groundbreaking Social Performance Initiatives
August 1, 2008 – Update
In June 2008, Unitus attended the Social Performance Task Force meeting in Paris, France. Created in March 2005, the Social Performance Task Force (SPTF) has been charged with clearly defining social performance and addressing questions about measuring and managing social performance in the microfinance sector. More than 200 organizations around the world participate in the… Read more >
Balancing Growth and Mission at the Microcredit Campaign Summit
August 1, 2008 – Update
Unitus joins hundreds of microfinance leaders in Bali, Indonesia This July, the 2008 Asia-Pacific Regional Microcredit Campaign Summit convened microfinance institutions (MFIs), non-governmental organizations, foundations, corporations, and government leaders from around the world to discuss the challenges, trends, and new opportunities arising in microfinance. Unitus, along with several of our partner MFIs, joined Dr. Muhammad… Read more >