On 6 July 2010 in Brussels, the non-profit-making association Dexia Foundation Belgium is organising its annual press conference on the topic of microfinance. Made popular by the Bangladeshi Muhammad Yunus, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize in 2006, microfinance also exists in the North.
In Belgium, microfinance enables freelances excluded from bank credit to launch their “very small enterprise”. It also enables individuals, similarly excluded from bank credit, to acquire a sustainable property in order to improve their conditions of life.
Dexia Foundation has supported microfinance in Belgium since 2006, via sponsorship. Such sponsorship is provided in favour of two major operators in Belgian solidarity finance: Crédal and Hefboom.
Dexia Foundation provides them with operating grants and the skills of 16 volunteers (employees and pensioners of Dexia Bank).
The press conference on 6 July will make an assessment of Belgian microfinance in 2009 (cf. press release).
Dexia Foundation will take advantage of the event to thanks its 16 volunteers, for the most part active in coaching micro-entrepreneurs on the ground!