Striving to expand the outreach of financial services and enterprise-acumen at the grass roots level, the 10th Microfinance Country Forum 2016 concluded at a local hotel in Karachi. 'Microfinance Recognition Awards' were also launched as a part of this forum. This assembly of Microfinance stakeholders was organized by Shamrock Conferences International, in collaboration with BRAC Pakistan, Mobilink Microfinance Bank and Khushhali Microfinance Bank.
While, inaugurating the forum, Deputy Governor State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) Saeed Ahmed said that SBP is pursuing a three-pronged strategy to achieve the goal of 50 percent financial inclusion by the year 2020. "Twenty million households need Microfinance in Pakistan. So far we have achieved access to 4.3 million borrowers, so we still have a long way to go, to reach the target of 50% financial-inclusion by 2020. Equitable economic growth and financial inclusion is the key to progress", he added.
He said that SBP is creating a favourable regulatory environment for the microfinance sector, while providing cheaper financial resources, building infrastructure to reduce the cost of delivery of funds. It will continue to facilitate the borrowers and ensure their protection, he said.
Dr Mohammad Amjad Saqib, Founder and Chairman of AKHUWAT Foundation, delivered the key-note speech and stressed the importance of nurturing microfinance as a purely humanitarian intervention, rather than one that focuses on purely commercial objectives. Merging of the Microfinance delivery methods with the 'interest-free' financing model has given a tremendous boost to the sector, adding a truly philanthropic and humanitarian perspective to the operations. This model has been successfully deployed by the Akhuwat Foundation and some other institutions and is showing rapid sustainable growth.
Zubyr Soomro, Chairman, Pakistan Microfinance Investment Company stressed on the need to create a technology platform, which should be accessible for all microfinance institutions to facilitate them in the adoption of latest technologies. The microfinance professionals should work more cohesively with the vocational training institutions, that are preparing skilled entrepreneurs, who need microfinance support. A trained workforce with specialised skills and a humanitarian approach towards business is needed to be nurtured to drive the Microfinance sector in future.
The CEO of Pakistan Microfinance Network (PMN), Syed Mohsin Ahmed said: "We would urged the industry to swiftly adopt the technological advancements that are enabling wider, cheaper and instant outreach of financial services, to the deprived and remote segments. Microfinance can also help us overcome the biggest challenges like strengthening of educational infrastructure. Micro-insurance also has great potential."
The Chairman of SHAMROCK Conferences International and the Founder/Convener of the Forum, Menin Rodrigues said that in order to encourage the Microfinance institutions, to continue with their vigorous ventures, we have conceived the 'Microfinance Recognition Awards' as part of the annual Microfinance Forum. These awards are being presented for the first time to more than 30 outstanding microfinance banks and institutions for their valuable contributions.
The learned speakers and microfinance experts stated that social development and providing the masses with ample opportunities of entrepreneurship to earn respectable income should be the driving force behind all microfinance initiatives in the sector. Reducing financial-exclusion is the most critical need of the country, during these challenging times. The microfinance specialists must create a sustainable model, by offering competitive Microfinance products, reducing costs and expanding their outreach through the use of innovative technology-based financial channels.
The prominent speakers and chairpersons at the forum, included, the Deputy Governor of SBP, Saeed Ahmed; Chairman, Pakistan Microfinance Investment Company, Zubyr Soomro; CEO of Pakistan Microfinance Network (PMN), Syed Mohsin Ahmed; Program Manager, IFC Lighting Pakistan, Marco Indelicato; CEO, BRAC Pakistan, Sher Zaman; CEO, Baluchistan Rural Support Program, Nadir Gul Barech; CEO, Thar Deep Microfinance Foundation; Sono Khangharani; CEO, Agehi Resource Center, Dr Rakhshinda Perveen; Country Manager, Pakistan MicroEnsure, Rehan Butt and CEO, Damen Support Program, Ms Naghma Rashid.
Over the past 10 years, this highly successful forum has facilitated powerful reforms in the sector, by attracting leading Microfinance practitioners, regulators, government officials, NGOs, academia, media and professional delegates from prestigious financial institutions.-PR