Deutsches Mikrofinanz Institut

Copie 2 - Learning Network Cologne, 5th and 6th March 2009

Norbert Kunz / Brigitte Maas

Widening the (German) Microfinance Paradigm

Deutsches Mikrofinanz Institut

The Background

relatively young – compared to other EU countries (e.g. France, Uk)

German Micro Finance Sector is

not widely enough diversified (clients, methodologies, microfinance agencies)

Deutsches Mikrofinanz Institut

The Challenge

After 2 ½ years experience in lending the extent of improvement becomes obvious in

costs

reachout

processes

risk

And sucessful microfinance strategies and cases in other EU countries have been identified to learn from.

Deutsches Mikrofinanz Institut

The Strategies and Cases to learn

strategy 3: self-help micro-finance incl. group lending microlending programmes, which build up on dezentralized forms of micro-lending f.e. AgroInvest (Montenegro), Fudusz Mikro (Poland)

strategy 2: pure micro-lending experience with very small loans and huge quantities f.e. MFI's from Romania, Bosnia or Montenegro

strategy 1: improvement of micro-enterprise lending systems f.e. UnSolMon (Catalunya), ADIE (France)

Deutsches Mikrofinanz Institut

The Strategies and Cases to learn

strategy 5: multiple-service programmes micro-finance as one component of a service package for business starter's and SME f.e. business cooperatives (Belgium), business associations (UK), Smart (Belgium)

strategy 4: saving based micro-finance (or similar) forms of micro-finance to reduce fear of potential clients to apply for a loan f.e. through pre-saving f.e. credit unions (UK), cooperatives (Poland)

Deutsches Mikrofinanz Institut

The Methodology

Inviting international experts (with regard to strategy 1-5) that German MFI‘s get first taste of strategy

Taking more detailed stock of what is not working well in our own practice (raising core questions)

Prepatory study visits by German "Microfinance Scouts„ to draw up expert's reports for MF practitioner‘s in Germany with regard to strategy 1- 5

Organizing national knowledge transfer workshops

Deutsches Mikrofinanz Institut

The Methodology

Organizing group study visits for interested microlending practioner's (selected strategies)

Documentation of „lessons learned“ in practitioners manual

Organizing mainstreaming conferences

Deutsches Mikrofinanz Institut

The Partners

microfinance institutions (national / transnational) as operational partners

ESF stakeholders as funders and promoters

local, regional, national and European institutions as mainstreaming partners

National and European networks as prospective strategic and operational partners (f.e. EMN)

Deutsches Mikrofinanz Institut

Thank you very much for your attention!

www.mikrofinanz.net