WorldView Magazine - Summer 2009 - (Page 19)

has implemented to help the extreme poor in Kenya,” said Ed Bland, president of Unitus. “Ingrid’s passionate focus on creating innovative programs that support the core microfinance operations inspires the industry to go deeper to help the poor.” Jamii Bora’s impact demonstrates the potential for growth and innovation that exists in the midst of Sub-Saharan Africa’s extreme poverty. Despite the growth, the demand continues to climb fast; microfinance in Africa is estimated at reaching just 4 percent of families in need, most of them in urban areas. To help close the gap, Unitus is expanding services in East Africa and plans to add nine more MFI partners to serve 1.2 million clients. To support this effort, they are opening the Africa Microfinance Growth Centre, an 18month leadership development and training program for CEOs of MFIs. Upon completion of the program, leadership will be able to grow more efficiently and effectively serve more in their regions. Yehu Microfinance, a new Unitus partner, is a microfinance organization innovating on a smaller scale. Yehu primarily services women, and has low loan sizes and innovative products that appeal to the rural coastal population including a “meat goat loan” targeted to traders who purchase goats and later resell them in urban markets. With just under 15,000 clients now, Yehu hopes to triple their loan portfolio to 29,000 by 2011. With millions of working poor Africans in need of services, innovative MFI’s like Jamii Bora and Yehu Microfinance will continue to create products and services beyond microloans that not only empower the poor but help them lead better, healthier more sustainable lives. The innovations they bring to Kenya can serve as models for MFI’s working in other countries. Leveraging knowledge can help millions more. Eliza Kelly is Director of Global Communications at Unitus. She can be reached at ekelly@unitus.com. For more information, visit www.unitus.com. New York is LEADERSHIP THE NEW SCHOOL EARN A MASTER OF SCIENCE AT is New York MILANO Make a difference. Shape the way organizations work, communities function, and people live. Milano develops effective leaders for the nonprofit, public, and private sectors using New York City as a laboratory. Whether you are starting out, changing, or advancing your career, Milano can help you design a program to meet your goals. Come to Milano—you’ll change the world. MS degrees in: · Nonprofit Management · Urban Policy Analysis and Management · Organizational Change Management World-renowned faculty and lifetime career services Information sessions are held throughout the year. For more about these events and the programs, call 212.229.5462 or visit us online. www.newschool.edu/milano26 The New School is a leading university in New York City offering some of the nation’s most distinguished degree, certificate, and continuing education programs in art and design, liberal arts, management and policy, and the performing arts. An Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity University WorldView 19 http://www.newschool.edu/milano26 http://www.newschool.edu/milano26 http://www.unitus.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of WorldView Magazine - Summer 2009

WorldView Magazine - Summer 2009
Contents
More Peace Corps Campaign: Better and Bolder!
Africa Rural Connect
Readers Write
You Too Can Be Bill Gates
Taking Peace Corps Back into the Field
Come for the Information, Stay for the Dancing
A “Green” Community Rising
Microfinance Pioneer Receives 2009 Shriver Award
The Colombia Project
A Voice for the Unheard
Hear Ye, Hear Ye: Microfinance Podcasts
Selected Microfinance Resources
Bicycle! Bamenda! Orange!
Luck and Fame
A Step in the Right Direction
Bringing What She Loves
Letter from Botswana: First Tongues of the Kalahari
Letter from Tanzania: Homo Sapien in Africa
In the Beginning (There Was John)
The Peace Corps Community Making a Difference
Community News
Advertiser Index

WorldView Magazine - Summer 2009

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