Our Brussels (online) event is now over, thank you to all our speakers and participants for such a successful session! The recording of the event and the presentation material are available below!
The European Microfinance Day was launched in 2015 as a tool to highlight the impact of the microfinance sector in Europe from a social and an economic perspective.
The main objectives of the European Microfinance Day are:
- To raise awareness among European citizens on the existence of microfinance and on its value to fight unemployment and social exclusion.
- To draw the attention of European media on how microfinance works in Europe and how it supports and helps the unemployed and European citizens excluded from the traditional financial sector.
- To exchange experiences within the European microfinance sector by giving visibility to the work of EMN & MFC members.
- To allow local members to draw the spotlight on their achievements and their missions at local level
These objectives remain the same and will define the spirit of the 6th European Microfinance Day, with a unifying thread allowing participants to reflect upon the various actions taken and lessons learned by microfinance sector during the first strike of the COVID19 crisis.
The Brussels (online) event
The Brussels event is here to highlight the work done at European level in this regard. On 29 October, it served as a kick-off for our members' local actions taking place mostly in November. The programme for this online edition included welcoming words from both networks' presidents, opening remarks from Manuela Geleng, Director for Skills at DG EMPL of the European Commission, and a keynote address by Joaquim Oliveira Martins, Deputy Director of the OECD Centre for Entrepreneurship, SMEs, Regions and Cities. It also featured a high-level panel discussion on ensuring access to finance for entrepreneurs during COVID-19 and a virtual ceremony for microfinance practitioners that recently complied with the European Code of Good Conduct, with an introduction by Nicholas Costello, Deputy Head of Unit at DG EMPL of the European Commission.
Local actions
ADIE
Paris,
France
Adie, France
1. How to create one’s own business online with Adie
Date: 29.10.2020
Location: Online
Registration: HERE
Objective:
- To present potential entrepreneurs with a new non-financial service that is made available for free on Adie’s website, an online platform allowing any entrepreneur to develop his/her project through 4 learning modules (topics range from defining your project idea, carrying out a market study, quantifying your financial needs, to support in administrative issues). In each module, aside from learning content, many different tools are available (exercises, tests, templates, case studies).
- For Adie, it is crucial to be able to provide this online service to their clients and to any potential entrepreneur, especially during this uncertain period, for it means that even if travel restrictions are back in place in the future, Adie will be able to accompany them in developing their projects.
Albanian Microfinance Association
Albanian Microfinance Association, Albania
1. Online forum: "Albanian Microfinance under the new normal: Weathering the storm"
Date: 18 or 19 November (TBD)
Venue: Online
Objectives:
- This online forum aims at gathering all stakeholders, government representatives, regulators, international financial institutions, international government agencies active in the area of microfinance and financial services, banks and association of banks, capital market actors, MFI-s and non-bank financial institutions, etc., and convey the message that microfinance activities remain the backbone of financial services offered to MSMEs and vulnerable layers in the society, and that all efforts should therefore be made to ensure that these segments are sustainably provided with access to finance.
AMFI
Sarajevo,
Bosnia & Herzegovina
AMFI, Bosnia & Herzegovina
1. "Responsible Borrowing" brochure
Objective:
- Promote the brochure "Responsible Borrowing" implemented by the Association together with WB / IFC in cooperation with the RS Ministry of Finance and the RS Regulatory Agency. The brochure will be promoted and distributed in the offices of our Members of the Association, in order to educate all clients of the microfinance sector. This educational campaign is an excellent opportunity to provide additional information and education to clients of the microcredit sector.
2. Webinar on the impact of COVID 19 on the operations of the microfinance sector in BiH
Date: 30 October 2020
Location: Online
Objective:
- To raise awareness on the contribution of microfinance in the fight against unemployment and social exclusion.
3. Webinar on Financial Education
Objective:
- To raise awareness amongst microcredit clients about quality and wise borrowing, investing money on purpose, while avoiding over-indebtedness.
4. Webinar on Digitization in the Microcredit sector
Objective:
- To highlight the importance of digital transformation in the microcredit sector.
BCR Social Finance
Bucharest,
Romania
BCR Social Finance, Romania
1. Online campaign
Description:
- BCR Social Finance will have a social media and web campaign to promote the European Microfinance Day 2020.
- BCR Social Finance, together with BCR and Erste Foundation, provided €70,000 of financing in support of “Digital People”. The program targets people, who due to the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, have lost their jobs or are technically unemployed, and are interested to start a career in IT.
- Also, in the context of COVID-19, BCR support the entrepreneurs who experience difficulties by maintaining a section on their website dedicated to "Challenges and financial solutions for micro-enterprises affected by the pandemic in 2020".
COOPFIN
Cagliari,
Italy
Coopfin, Italy
1. Promotional video
Location: Online
Description:
- COOPFIN wants to inspire other potential cooperative entrepreneurs and local institutions on social media through the sharing of stories of cooperative entrepreneurs that are “weathering the storm”. It aims to show how microfinance can support the recovery of local and national economies.
Nantik Lum, Spain
1. Client interview: How did microfinance help you to launch your own project?
Objective:
- Illustrate the opportunity that microcredit represents to launch a successful project, through an interview with one person who received a microcredit last year and launched his own project thanks to this help.
MI-BOSPO, Bosnia & Herzegovina
1. Social media campaign
Objective: MI-BOSPO intends to raise awareness on microfinance and its benefits for BiH citizens. It supports our clients during COVID time, to send the message that the microfinance sector, and not only in Bosnia & Herzegovina, is by their side, and that together we can "weather the storm".
Microfinance Ireland
Dublin,
Ireland
Microfinance Ireland
Social media & mailing campaign
Description:
Microfinance Ireland will be using emails to highlight EMD 2020 and the reasons why Microfinance Ireland and other similar institutions across Europe exist. They will also be sending a social media post across all their platforms to remind people that they are here to help during these difficult times, even when other financial institutions cannot. Together we can weather the storm.
Microlux
Luxembourg,
Luxembourg
Microlux, Luxembourg
1. Social media campaign
Date : From 9 to 20 November 2020
Location : Online
Description:
- In the continuity of last year's campaign, microlux will highlight the work of its local partners and its network of voluntary coaches during the EMD campaign, on social media.
2. Facebook Live session
Date : 18 November
Location : Online
Objective:
- Microlux will present its microcredit solutions with a Facebook Live session, in order to stay close to their clients while respecting sanitary precautions.
PerMicro
Turin,
Italy
PerMicro, Italy
1. Press release
Description:
- PerMicro will disseminate the EMD Press Release to their contacts, thus spreading the common message to their network.
2. Social media & mailing campaign
Description:
- PerMicro and its partner BNL Group BNP Paribas have devised a joint online editorial plan to promote the campaign and feature an interview of a microentrepreneur.
Qredits
Almelo,
Netherlands
Qredits, The Netherlands
1. Contest for remarkable entrepreneur weathering the COVID-19 storm
Date: 22.10 to 05.11.2020
Location: Social media
Objective:
- Beyond the award, Qredits wants to inspire other entrepreneurs and their followers on social media through the sharing of stories of remarkable entrepreneurs. It aims to show the power of microfinance as a driver for local economy, and raise awareness about supporting small and local entrepreneurs.
RITMI
Vicenza,
Italy
RITMI, Italy
1. Press conference
Date: 6 November 2020
2. Social media campaign
Location: Online
Objectives:
The initiative wants to inspire potential entrepreneurs, entrepreneurs and local institutions on social media about how microfinance can help Italian economy to “weather the storm”. It aims also to increase the awareness of policy makers about the necessary measures to reinforce microfinance as national instrument to support the recovery of local and national economies.
RoCredit
Baia Mare,
Romania
RoCredit, Romania
1. Special discount
Date: 19/10 to 31/11/2020
Description:
- Rocredit IFN S.A. celebrates the European Microfinance Day with an attractive offer for the activation of the discount ceiling product, with zero commission on the analysis of contracted facilities, between 19/10/2020 and 31/11/2020.
- RoCredit is a financial institution who cares for its social mission, that is to contribute actively to the development of the Romanian business environment. In this respect, RoCredit encourages companies that are beginning their journey, by giving them support in this phase of their development, an especially challenging one.
Patria Credit
Voluntari,
Romania
Patria Credit, Romania
1. Social media & physical campaign
Date: 29 October 2020
Description: Patria Credit announced and promoted the European Microfinance Day campaign and the Brussels online event using their sales force and social media channels.
2. Special offer for new and existing clients
Date: 02-06 November 2020
Description: Patria Credit will also mark the EMD with a dedicated offer for existing and new clients that will be available from 2 to 6 November 2020.
3. Dedicated blog post
Date: By 06 November 2020
Description: Patria Credit will further promote this action and the EMD campaign through a dedicated article that will be posted on Patria Blog and send to all entrepreneurs of Patria Bank Group of companies.
