Micro-finance stakeholders' meet begins today

A three-day meeting of micro-finance stakeholders begins in Dhaka today, says a press release.
The stakeholders are expected to be benefited from newly-launched training materials that are part of a capacity-building programme by Citi, the Foundation for Development Cooperation (FDC) and the Banking with the Poor Network (BWTP).
This regional micro-finance initiative will share best practices in establishing partnerships and strategic alliances between micro-finance institutions (MFIs), regulators, donors and private enterprises that will, in turn, help expand the reach and range of micro-finance services delivered to the poor in Bangladesh.
Following a symposium in the morning today, a two-and-a-half-day training workshop will be held for about 35 micro-finance practitioners from various micro-finance organisations in Bangladesh.
The workshop is designed to develop the critical knowledge and skills needed to create partnerships and alliances in the micro-finance sector. Potential MFI partners could include government bodies, other non-profit organizations or private sector companies such as retailers, telecom operators and large financial institutions.
The workshop will also share industry best practices related to the development of new microfinance products such as insurance and pensions, and educational materials.
The symposium and workshop are part of a US$570,000 grant given by the Citi Foundation to FDC and BWTP to expand the provision of microfinance services across 10 Asian countries including India, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Philippines, Sri Lanka and Vietnam.