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Date: October 19-30, 2009
Microfinance has significant potential to create jobs and reduce poverty, yet it is not fulfilling its potential.  Today that microfinance industry faces the twin challenges of growth and sustainability, and needs to respond to the following questions:

• How can microfinance institutions (MFIs) deliver better services to a larger number of low-income people?
• How can MFIs reduce costs for clients while meeting their institutional needs?
• How can MFIs survive in increasingly competitive environments?

 

The answers to these questions can be summed up in one word: Management.  In rapidly growing organizations in a relatively young industry, microfinance managers are often promoted into management positions with insufficient training.  They are forced to learn on the job, through trial and error.  Consequently, one of the biggest constraints to the success of MFIs is the limited capacity of senior managers.

Asia is the most developed continent in the world in terms of volume of MFI activities.  With this, more microfinance banks are emerging in the region and the sector will need skilled and well-trained senior and middle managers. To address this need, Punla sa Tao Foundation, is collaborating with the International Labor Organization (ILO) to bring the training course “Making Microfinance Work: Managing for Improved Performance” to Philippines. 

This ILO-developed two-week training program exposes participants to a wide range of management tools and strategies for improving the effectiveness and efficiency of their microfinance operations.