Sunday, November 29, 2009

Microfinance Discussion Thurs 12/3

Note: the time for this event has been changed to 5pm.

Please join us this Thursday, December 3, at 5 PM in McIntyre 309, for a discussion of current issues, hot topics and debates in microfinance with Nathan Lawless of the Seattle-based microfinance institution, Unitus.

Unitus, an international nonprofit organization, fights global poverty by accelerating the growth of microfinance—small loans and other financial tools for self-empowerment—where it is needed most. Unitus partners with young, high-potential microfinance institutions, helping them build capacity, attract capital, and unite with the greater partner network to achieve rapid, sustainable growth. In just seven years, Unitus has helped its partners serve more than 9 million families throughout India and Southeast Asia, East Africa, Mexico, and South America.

From the Unitus “Vison and Values” statement:

We believe we can transform the future for millions of the world’s least fortunate by scaling up highly leveraged, market-based approaches to fighting poverty using the power of microfinance. Once the working poor are no longer excluded from the resources and opportunities of the world’s financial markets, they are empowered to realize their full potential, building stronger families, communities, and lives.

Unitus received Fast Company’s Social Capitalist award in 2006, 2007, and 2008.

Nathan Lawless works on the Unitus Capital Advisory Team. He is involved with reporting and portfolio management related to loans and guarantees Unitus has outstanding to their microfinance institution partners. He is also involved in the credit analysis process for evaluating potential loans and/or guarantees, as well as working with their partners to increase their preparedness for debt and equity investment.

Learn more about Unitus at their website: http://www.unitus.com/

and at their YouTube channel: http://www.youtube.com/unitusmicrofinance.

This event is sponsored by the Department of Economics, the Business and Leadership Program and the International Political Economy program.

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