News

16 April | 2013 Oikocredit, BlueOrchard Finance and Incofin IM have published the final report of their research entitled “Study on the Drivers of Over-Indebtedness of Microfinance Borrowers in Cambodia: an In-depth Investigation of Saturated Areas”. full story

11 March | 2013 Oikocredit recorded another positive year of social and financial results. With 854 partners across 67 countries, Oikocredit continued its strategic focus on Africa, agriculture and inclusive finance. full story

28 February | 2013 Social investor and worldwide cooperative Oikocredit stands behind the Smart Campaign as it rolls out the Client Protection Certification Program. Oikocredit will promote compliance with the certification standards among its microfinance partners (MFIs) with a goal of having four undergo certification within the next two years. full story

24 January | 2013 Oikocredit Nigeria recently held a two-day workshop in Lagos to raise awareness about Social Performance Management (SPM) practices in the microfinance sector. full story

08 January | 2013 Indian-based subsidiary of Oikocredit, Maanaveeya, recently promoted sustainable financing of safe drinking water, sanitation, solar energy and agricultural value chains in India. As less than half of India’s population have access to safe drinking water and sanitary systems and over 400 million remain without access to electricity, addressing these issues remains a key priority for Maanaveeya and its partners. full story

13 December | 2012 As 2013 will see the retirement of Mr Ben Simmes and the start for Mr David Woods, we asked the outgoing and incoming managing directors to interview one another. Having worked with Oikocredit for over 16 years, Mr Simmes asks Mr Woods where he sees it positioned in the future and reflects on his time with the organisation. In turn, Mr Woods talks about what he’ll bring to the organisation and asks for any advice for the years to come. full story

29 October | 2012 Andrés González, general manager of Cooperativa Manduvirá Ltda from Paraguay, and Rodrigo Ortiz, country manager of Oikocredit Paraguay, are touring Europe from 1 to 13 November on a roadshow to talk about their history and future ambitions. Manduvirá, a sugarcane small farmers’ cooperative, which mainly produces fair trade, organic sugar, is building a brand new factory. Oikocredit was the first financier to invest in the plant. full story

11 October | 2012 Oikocredit is pleased to announce David Woods has accepted the role as new Managing Director of Oikocredit International. He will join Oikocredit 1 November 2012 and officially take up his post 1 January 2013, replacing Ben Simmes, who will be retiring after serving Oikocredit for sixteen years in a number of key roles. full story

11 September | 2012 Oikocredit West Africa and Terrafina Microfinance are launching a joint social performance management (SPM) mentoring programme in Saint-Louis, Senegal. The main objective of the programme is to support five MFI networks to identify areas where they can improve with regards to client focus and social performance. full story

09 August | 2012 This week, the Philippines has been hit by flooding and landslides as a month's worth of rain fell over two days. A state of calamity has been declared in parts of Manila and other areas as roads have become inaccessible, houses have become inundated and people have died. full story

29 June | 2012 Two partners in the Philippines were honoured for their outstanding work in environment, social and governance in a ceremony held by Oikocredit South East Asia last night. full story

26 June | 2012 The first project in the partnership between Oikocredit and The Rotary Foundation (TRF) has been launched in the Philippines. full story

19 June | 2012 Mrs Sengani is a South African national, with specific expertise in corporate strategy and banking. She holds an MBA from the University of Pretoria, South Africa. Mrs Sengani has broad experience as a board member. full story

15 June | 2012 Close to 500 microfinance institutions around the world have reported social performance data to private microfinance investor Oikocredit. The data, to be released today in Stockholm, Sweden, reflects the organization’s dedication to prioritising microfinance clients by advancing the analysis of social goals. The report draws on 2011 data submitted by 495 of Oikocredit’s microfinance partners - a 20% jump in data participation since data collection began in 2008. full story

16 May | 2012 This year’s Oikocredit Study Tour has taken 22 investors, staff and volunteers to Bulgaria to see the value of agricultural and credit cooperatives first-hand. Regional director of Eastern Europe & Central Asia, Rakhat Gravesteijn-Uraimova shares more about the organization’s approach to its investments in Bulgaria. full story

05 April | 2012 Oikocredit made its first investment in Egypt recently, with a US$ 7 million convertible loan to SEKEM, an Egyptian company founded over 30 years ago by the Abouleish family. full story

29 March | 2012 What does it take to get a Fair Trade product on to the supermarket shelf? Every link in the value chain plays an important role – including the farmer, buyer, manufacturer and consumer. full story

27 March | 2012 Oikocredit received a silver award in the MIX 2011 Social Performance Award for Investors, an initiative of the Microfinance Information Exchange, Inc (MIX) along with the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation, the Ford Foundation and CGAP. full story