Microfinance Focus: MFTransparency, an international non-governmental organization recently published an updated pricing data for Cambodia for 2010, building on the original dataset published in 2009.

MFTransparency has published updated pricing data for Cambodia for 2010, building on the original dataset published in 2009. Cambodia was one of the initial countries where MFTransparency collected true-cost microloan product pricing data and is the first country worldwide to complete the data updating process.

allAfrica: The Association of Microfinance Institutions in Rwanda (AMIR) has urged Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) to ensure transparency and mitigate business risks.

CGAP: CGAP has long viewed information and transparency as a crucial component in shaping the microfinance industry. We have come to expect that consistent, reliable data strengthens microfinance performance and policy dialog.

MFTransparency recently took part in the “Segundo Congreso de la Industria de las Microfinanzas en Colombia”, organized by Asomicrofinanzas, the national association of MFIs, held in the coastal city of Santa Marta on the 31st of March and 1st of April 2011. This industry-wide event provided a platform for us to present the preliminary results of our Transparent Pricing Initiative in Colombia, sponsored by the Ford Foundation.

MFTransparency ha participado en el Segundo Congreso de la Industria de las Microfinanzas en Colombia, organizado por Asomicrofinanzas, el gremio de este subsector de la economía nacional, el 31 de marzo y el 1 de abril, en la ciudad de Santa Marta. En él, tuvimos la ocasión de presentar los resultados preliminares de Iniciativa de Transparencia de Precios en Colombia, patrocinada por la Fundación Ford.

The enabling APR & EIR Program recently expanded to Ghana, now active in Malawi, Uganda, Rwanda, South Africa and Ghana. The launch in Ghana was successful, meet with enthusiasm from a wide range of industry stakeholders.

The MIX: In the past week, both David Roodman and MFTransparency have posted on the relationship between yields and APRs for microfinance institutions. We are happy to see the dialogue deepen on what we really know about what MFIs charge their clients. Both posts shed good insight onto what APR and yield are and are not.

Manila Times: Last month, the Rural Bankers Association of the Philippines (RBAP) and MFTransparency, a global network advocating transparency among microfinance institutions, and the Microfinance Council of the Philippines held the Transparent Pricing Initiative forum to promote primarily responsibility among financial institutions in providing information to their clients.

In April 2011 MFTransparency presented at the 9th Annual WWB Microfinance and the Capital Markets Conference on the issue of pricing transparency and over-indebtedness. View the presentation here.