Microfinance Institutions & NGOs

Association of Rural Development for Yilong (ARDY)

ARDY was incorporated as a non-profit, non-governmental organization (NGO) in November 1995 in the county civil affairs bureau. Yilong is located in the low mountains of north Sichuan and has a population of 1.07 million, 930,000 of whom are involved in agriculture. Yilong has long been identified as one of the most poverty-stricken countries in China. ARDY's mission is to provide people-centered rural poverty alleviation and sustainable development. Its main activities include building farmer organizations; micro-credit services, particularly aimed at the least-privileged and women; and community capacity building and promotion of sustainable rural development. ARDY has a staff of 23, divided into three departments, as well as seven branch offices. In October of 2009, ARDY received a national award for public service organizations, and in November of 2009 it received a national award for philanthropic excellence.
http://en.ardysc.org.cn/

Chinese Association of Microfinance (CAM)          

CAM is an assocation of Microfinance Institutions (MFIs), domestic and international, who are interested in supporting the microfinance industry. Founded in the early 1990s, "CAM's vision includes promoting governmental supports towards microfinance, strengthening international cooperation on microfinance, strengthening industry self-discipline, enhancing management capacity of MFIs, raising funds for microfinance development, providing financial service to population living with poverty and low income, and contributing to the social objective to build a well-off society in an all-round way. CAM and PF China have had a long-standing relationship and PF China is currently serving as an advisor to CAM.                                    
http://www.chinamfi.net/en/index.asp

Changxing United Rural Bank (CURB)

CURB was founded in 2008 and is one of the largest village and township banks in China, providing loan services to some 3,400 individual and enterprise clients. CURB operates from Changxing County (Zhejiang Province), and although there is fierce competition in the SME and urban lending markets in this region, the organization has recognized that the rural population is still largely underserved and represents a potential niche market for CURB to fill. CURB aims to use a microfinance-based business model with regard to rural demographics, so as to allow for efficient, stable and strong growth by providing services to micro- and small entrepreneurs. As of 2010, PFC has conducted a feasibility study and gap analysis of the bank and continues to support their downscaling activities in an advisory capacity.

DaBa Mountain Center for Ecology and Poverty Research (DaBa)        

DaBa is a non-profit entity and social organization which aims to study and improve the ecological environment in poor areas. Moreover, through the research learn to improve the quality of life in poor communities, enhance their awareness of environmental issues and sustainable development.             
http://www.dabashan.org/index.html/ (in Chinese only)

Grameen Foundation        

Grameen Foundation is an organization that works to support microfinance programs that enable the poor to lift themselves out of poverty and make better lives for their families. It does this by harnessing the power of technology and by connecting microfinance institutions with capital markets. Established in 1997 by the Grameen Bank, the Grameen Foundation currently operates in 37 countries across Asia, Africa, the Middle East and the Americas. The Grameen Foundation seeks to help microfinance practitioners and spread the Grameen philosophy worldwide, adopting the ideas of 2006 Novel Peace Laureate Muhammad Yunus. In 2008, PF China and the Grameen Foundation, in collaboration with the European Commission initiated a two-part training session for the Asia Investment Readiness Program in Beijing, China.                                                            
www.grameenfoundation.org/   

International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent (IFRC)

The IFRC was founded in 1919 and is the world’s largest humanitarian organization with some 186 Red Cross/Red Crescent National Societies that provide worldwide assistance regardless of nationality, race, class, religious or political beliefs. The IFRC vision is to “inspire, encourage, facilitate and promote at all times all forms of humanitarian activities by National Societies, with a view to preventing and alleviating human suffering, and thereby contributing to the maintenance and promotion of human dignity and peace in the world”. The IFRC is divided into four key areas: promoting humanitarian values; disaster response; disaster preparedness; and health and community care. In response to the deadly Sichuan earthquake in 2008, IFRC developed a Livelihoods Program to assist recovery efforts to those most affected by the earthquake. The program consisted of two components, financial support in the form of micro-loans and/or guarantee facilities and vocational training. In 2009, PFC was brought onboard, through a recommendation from the International Labor Organization, to provide an assessment mission in developing an appropriate and feasible microfinance delivery and monitoring plan.
http://www.ifrc.org/

Media Lab Europe

Media Lab Europe is an independent, non-profit, international research institute that was founded in 2000 as a collaborative venture between the Irish Government and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to create a new center of excellence in digital technologies. Media Lab Europe collaborated with PF China on the Asi@ITC project, aimed at bringing Information Technologies and Communications to rural areas of China.  Media Lab Europe was voluntarily liquidated in 2005.
http://medialabeurope.org/

Ningxia Center for Environment and Poverty Alleviation (CEPA)

CEPA is an independent NGO in Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region whose mission is to support rural communities towards overcoming problems of gender inequality, poverty and the environment. CEPA works with individual villages to increase their capacity to identify problems and develop solutions that work in a local context. Moreover, they provide financial and technical support to assist the villagers in implementing these projects.
http://www.nxcepa.org/english/index.htm

Plan International

Plan International is a child-oriented development organization dedicated to the vision of “a world in which all children realize their full potential in societies that respect people’s rights and dignity”. Plan International has existed for over 70 years and has programs in 48 developing countries in Africa, Asia and the Americas, serving some 3,500,000 families annually. The mission of Plan International includes “enabling deprived children, their families and their communities to meet their basic needs and to increase their ability to participate in and benefit from their societies, building relationships to increase understanding and unity among peoples of different cultures and countries and promoting the rights and interests of the world's children”. In 2005, Plan China began a Sustainable Livelihood Program which established microfinance associations in five counties and districts across Shaanxi Province. In 2010, PFC was called in to conduct an impact assessment of the program as Plan China prepared to slowly phase out of the project. With statistical support from PF Egypt, PFC’s social impact assessment covered 10 townships across 5 areas in Shaanxi Province. The study included qualitative data retrieved from household surveys, and quantitative data uncovered through focus group discussions and one-on-one interviews.
http://plan-international.org/

YouChange PuRong Information Advisory Co. Ltd. (YCPR)

YCPR, established in 2010 by the China Social Entrepreneur Foundation, is an integrated solution provider of comprehensive inclusive financing, with the ultimate goal of assisting rural microfinance institutions in sharpening their capacity, solving capital shortage and other problems, and achieving sustainability, to help lift poor rural farmers out of poverty. YCPR is a social business which aims to uphold the spirit of social entrepreneurship advocated by its parent organization, and to apply business solutions to resolve social problems, promote financial inclusion and poverty alleviation. YCPR provides a variety of products and services microfinance players in China. These include:

• Consignment loans at favorable interest rates to welfare-oriented, poverty-focused MFIs
• Asset transfer services in collaboration with specialized financial organizations such as guarantee companies, trusts etc.
• Providing free management information systems software developed by Grameen Foundation (Mifos) and Plan International to improve MFI management
• Turn-key solutions for MFI start-ups, possibly including seed capital

YCPR will provide loan funding to PFC’s renewable energy + rural business innovation project in Tongwei County, Gansu Province.
http://www.purong.org/