Microfinance Centre’s Webinars to Help You Cope with COVID-19 Effects – Business in Pandemic

On this webpage you can find information about webinars dedicated to help you go through the difficult time of pandemic.

IMPACT OF COVID19 PANDEMIC ON THE MICROFINANCE SECTOR IN EUROPE – WEBINARS AND RESEARCH PAPER
WEBINARS’ RECORDINGS (ENGLISH) – HOW TO BUILD A CORPORATE IMMUNE SYSTEM IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19
WEBINARS OF THE SERIES IN RUSSIAN
DESCRIPTIONS OF THE CONTENT OF THE WEBINARS
CORONAVIRUS PANDEMIC – GOOD PRACTICES, RESOURCES & TOOLS CENTRE

Impact of COVID-19 Pandemic on the Microfinance Sector in Europe

This paper summarizes the data collected by the Microfinance Centre (MFC) through a survey of microfinance institutions in Europe to assess the impact of COVID-19 crisis on the situation of microfinance institutions and their clients. The results show that while the pandemic touched all countries in the EU, the severity of its impact was markedly different, from very strong in some countries to almost negligible in others. However, all countries implemented some form of a lockdown which affected MFIs and their clients.

READ THE PAPER

COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on European MFIs and Their Clients – watch the recordings

Details:

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Microfinance Clients in Europe – 30.09.2020

During this webinar we presented the results of the research, interviews with selected microfinance leaders, conducted by MFC in July and August 2020 across Europe. We will present how COVID-19 lockdown impacted microfinance clients and what solutions MFIs introduced to support clients. We discussed who gained from the lockdown, what solutions could be introduced to support the recovery of microfinance clients.

Speakers:
Justyna Pytkowska, Research Manager, MFC
Laura David, Head of Business Development, BCR Social Finance IFN SA
David Taquin, Partnership, Fundraising & Advocacy Manager, Microstart

Facilitator: Kinga Dabrowska, Programs Manager, MFC

Download the presentation: Covid-19 impact on microfinance clients_30092020

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Microfinance institutions in Europe –07.10.2020

During this webinar we presented the results of the research, interviews with selected microfinance leaders, conducted by the MFC in July and August 2020 across Europe. We present how COVID-19 lockdown impacted the microfinance institutions, how it changed their operations, what solutions they introduced. We discuss who gained from the lockdown and present the lessons learnt for the future. We present ideas for the sector development in this time of new normality.

Speakers:
Kinga Dabrowska, Programs Manager, MFC
Goran Lazarevski, Director, Alliance of Microfinance organizations in Macedonia (MFO)
Herjola Spahiu, Executive Director, NOA Albania
Dimitrios Niafas, Programme Officer at DG EMPL, European Commission

Facilitator: Justyna Pytkowska, Research Manager, MFC

Download the presentation: Covid-19 impact on microfinance institutions_07102020

We are all facing difficult times of Corona Virus Disease pandemic at the moment. MFC team is working hard to support the microfinance sector.

One of our responses is a series of webinars How to Build a Corporate Immune System in Response to COVID-19 which is being widely attended and greatly appreciated by microfinance professionals. It was also one of the first series responding to the crisis situation in the sector.

We have prepared this series both in English and in Russian. Overall already we had almost 1200 registrations for the series!

For those who couldn’t attend or want to refresh the knowledge – click on the links just below to watch the recordings&presentation and read further for webinars’ descriptions.

WATCH:

Business continuity (9 April 2020) – WATCH THE RECORDING
Stress Test for Success ( 15 April 2020) – WATCH THE RECORDING
Loan Restructuring and Refinancing Agreements (16 April 2020) – WATCH THE RECORDING
Amendments to lending policy for new products and online channels (22 April 2020) – WATCH THE RECORDING
Risk management for beginners and back-up staff (23 April 2020) – WATCH THE RECORDING
Financial planning and financial modelling (29 April 2020) – WATCH THE RECORDING

We have started though with a session in March already, discussing the most important questions an MFI can have on HR measures: “How to cope with the pandemic effects on MFI’s businesses” – good practices by Adie, OBS and microStart.

The webinar was a big success both in terms of attendance and feedback on experts’ presentations. Adie, OBS and microStart shared their experiences on how their institutions deal with pandemic challenges. We learned about HR solutions, measures taken to protect clients and crisis management challenges.

WATCH THE RECORDING – already roughly 300 people did and they have given us a very positive feedback

WATCH (in Russian)

Примите участие в серии из 6 вебинаров от МФЦ на общую тему: укрепление иммунитета для бизнеса в условиях COVID-19 (доступно на русском языке) – WATCH THE RECORDINGS

WEBINARS’ SUBJECT DESCRIPTIONS:

How to build a corporate immune system for the crisis: Stress test for success

We do not know how big, how deep this crisis is or how long will take. However we know how to stress test for success and for the worst. During this webinar we will:

Discuss key drivers/causes/factors of business success and failure before, during the crisis and after crisis.
Talk how to adjust the financial model for stress test
Discuss importance of team work to consolidate the results quickly.
Provide advice for a short and clear presentation of the results to Top management and shareholders

How to build a corporate immune system for the crisis: Loan restructuring and refinancing policies and agreements

During this webinar we will discuss the economic and legal terminology for restructuring, refinancing. Address frequently asked questions:

How to write loan restructuring policies
How to adjust the loan restructuring policies

How to build a corporate immune system for the crisis: Amendments to lending policy for the new products and for the online channels.

IT specialist were an expensive and in high demand resource before the crisis. During this webinar we will address the questions:

What are practical solutions on how to adjust cost efficiently of your lending processes and products.
How to transform loan officers’ job from the face-to-face communicator to online analyst and communicator.

How to build a corporate immune system for the crisis: Risk management for beginners and back up staff.

In any crisis HR continuity and back up is important but in this current crisis HR continuity is prime! During this webinar we will address the following questions:

How to prepare your staff members: senior, junior or your new student volunteer for the efficient risk management practices.
What are the tools which will help risk managers to monitor at earlier stages and avoid, prevent, reduce losses.

How to build a corporate immune system for the crisis: Financial planning and financial modelling

During this webinar we will answer the following questions:

How to build a flexible strategic financial planning
How to build a flexible operational financial planning (budgeting)
How to structure of a financial model
How to stress testing the model

EXPERTS OF THE SERIES:

Artur Munteanu, is an entrepreneur, finance executive and enterprise development consultant with more than 20 years of experience in the financial and SME-development sectors. Currently an independent consultant, Arthur has developed his expertise through his role as a CEO and Board Member of Microinvest, a leading non-bank financial institution in Moldova. He is also a Board Member and Advisor in several important companies from the agro-food, finance and ICT sectors.
Kinga Dąbrowska has been working in the Microfinance Centre since 2011. Prior to that, she worked in the Technical Secretariat for Cross-Border Cooperation Program Poland – Belarus – Ukraine and Pontis Foundation, Slovakia where she was responsible for managing projects related to development assistance, democracy promotion and education mostly in the Western Balkans and Central and Eastern Europe.

MFC RESOURCES CENTRE

In the times of COVID-19, it is the most vulnerable who are affected the most – our clients. The initiatives are growing in the sector to cope with the effects of this crisis. Our response is to compile all relevant initiatives that could benefit MFIs – their staff, management, clients and business overall.

That is why we prepared for you a Good Practices, Resources & Tools Centre – check out some of our Members tips to better lead your business through pandemic. In the Resource Centre you will find as well measures being introduced by international institutions, programmes prepared by investors, analysis and MFC resources.

Activities were financially supported by: