Three EaSI TA workshops at the European Microfinance Network Annual Conference

The European Microfinance Network will hold its 14th Annual Conference titled “Financial Education to Empower Citizens. All Aboard!” in Venice, Italy on 22 and 23 June 2017. More than 250 delegates are expected to attend, including EMN member organisations, experts, and representatives from other institutions active in the microfinance sector. Attendees are invited this year to discuss and reflect upon the power of financial education for vulnerable populations, such as microfinance clients. Thus the EMN Conference presents an opportunity for microfinance practitioners to share, challenge and exchange good practices in microfinance, hence fi-compass will host three EaSI TA events. 

The first workshop will take place on the day before the actual conference, 21 June, as a pre-conference event, in order to have more flexibility and full attention to the topic: 'The Journey of Entrepreneurship'. Practitioners will be actively involved in the preparation and implementation of the workshop, which will touch upon two areas that were identified as highly relevant for the sector, namely: Microfinance Products; and Responsible & Inclusive Finance. Workshop facilitators will help participants to focus on their capacity to understand what might drive their existing and prospective clients, as well as the meaning behind entrepreneurial acumen, which will ultimately lead to improved product development. The event is open only for field staff (e.g. branch managers, loan officers) of microfinance institutions (MFIs), who have contact with clients on a regular/direct basis. Registration for this pre-conference event is free of charge and you can find all necessary details here.

During the actual EMN Conference, two additional EaSI TA workshops will take place on 22 June 2017. The first workshop titled 'The Mentoring Challenge' will demonstrate the great potential of a volunteering mentoring programme to enhance the non-financial services of MFIs. More concretely, the panellist will showcase how a volunteering mentoring programme can add value to the non-financial services that MFIs are offering, by better supporting  entrepreneurs to start and grow their own businesses and to fulfil their potential. The second EaSI TA Workshop: 'Financial Tools to Empower People through Microfinance', will discuss alternative models for financial intermediation in order to channel EU funds towards the MFIs that have no access to the traditional EU centralised instruments for microfinance (EaSI). This workshop is addressed particularly to those interested in knowing more about inclusive finance; more concretely about various financial tools that are used in the microfinance sector to empower people and offer future perspectives.

For more detailed information about the full Conference agenda and registration, please visit the EMN’s conference website.