European Microfinance Network

🤔 𝐇𝐨𝐰 𝐜𝐚𝐧 𝐦𝐢𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭 𝐚 𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐄𝐮𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐟𝐫𝐚𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐤𝐬? Join us for the engaging second part of our panel discussion, "Microfinance – A Powerful Policy Tool," where we’ll uncover the vital role that microfinance plays in driving inclusive and sustainable growth across various EC policies. Our panel includes: - Brigitte Fellahi, Head of Unit, DG EMPL, European Commission - Sabine Bourdy, Head of Unit Green Finance & Investments, DG ENV, European Commission - Giulia Camozzini, Deputy Head of Unit E.2, DG HOME, European Commission - Laura Liger, Policy Analyst, Unit ‘Cities, Communities, People’, DG REGIO, European Commission - Plus a representative from the Economic Sustainability Unit, DG AGRI, European Commission (to be confirmed) Let’s explore the challenges and opportunities ahead as we discuss how microfinance can better expand access to finance for underserved and vulnerable groups. Don’t miss your chance to secure one of the last remaining slots for the 2026 edition of the European Microfinance Day and register at https://lnkd.in/ekAd7zeJ ! Stay informed and check out the event program https://lnkd.in/eTtJS_Y7. Together, we can create impactful change! 🌍💡 #Microfinance #SustainableFinance #EuropeanCommission #InclusiveGrowth fi-compass Microfinance Centre

We were delighted to welcome Alessandra Cavallo (Alma Mater Studiorum - Università di Bologna) to the EMN office in #Brussels for her first in-person visit as part of the 𝗠𝗮𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗡𝗼𝘄𝗮𝗸 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵 𝗙𝗲𝗹𝗹𝗼𝘄𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽, carried out in collaboration with #SheDIDIT. It was a great opportunity for the European Microfinance Network and #SheDIDIT to come together, exchange perspectives, and support Alessandra as she continues her interviews with 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝘀 from the #SheDIDIT community. Her research is now well underway and focuses on generating robust, context-sensitive insights into 𝗵𝗼𝘄 𝗺𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘂𝗽𝗽𝗼𝗿𝘁 𝘄𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗻 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝘀 with migration backgrounds. It also explores key programme design elements that can enhance both 𝘀𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝘀𝗼𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗶𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁. #SheDIDIT offers a unique environment to observe how microfinance, combined with 𝗰𝗼𝗮𝗰𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁, can influence not only economic outcomes but also broader social empowerment. We look forward to the next steps and to sharing key insights as the research progresses, ahead of the 𝗘𝗠𝗡 𝗔𝗻𝗻𝘂𝗮𝗹 𝗖𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗲𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝗻 𝗢𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗯𝗲𝗿 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲. #WomenEntrepreneurs #SocialImpact #Shedidit #InclusiveFinance

🚨 Last Chance to Register! 🚨 Don't miss your opportunity to be part of the European Microfinance Day 2026 in Brussels on April 16th! Join us for a compelling second morning session: "Microfinance – a Powerful Policy Tool: Microfinance as a Powerful Tool for Vulnerable Groups." In this session, we'll explore how microfinance serves as a crucial instrument for empowering vulnerable communities. Discover its impact on job creation, financial inclusion, competitiveness, food security, and how it aligns with the EU’s Antipoverty Strategy and the European Pillar of Social Rights. We’re excited to welcome an outstanding panel of experts:  - Brigitte Fellahi (DG EMPL, European Commission) - Kristina Maslauskaite (CEB - Council of Europe Development Bank)  - Nicola Benaglio (European Microfinance Network) - Giulia Casagrande (Financial Institutions Department, European Investment Bank (EIB) - Caroline Brandt (ADIE) - RALUCA STEFANIA ANDREICA (Patria Credit)  - Katarzyna Sabarańska - Foundation for the Development of Polish Agriculture (FDPA) This is an event you won’t want to miss! Register here https://lnkd.in/ekAd7zeJ before April 9th and check the full program https://lnkd.in/eTtJS_Y7 Let’s harness the power of microfinance to drive positive change together! 🌍💡 #Microfinance #EuropeanMicrofinanceDay #FinancialInclusion #Empowerment #Networking fi-compass Microfinance Centre

𝗗𝗶𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝘀 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗦𝗜𝗙𝗧𝗔 𝘄𝗲𝗯𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗿 𝗼𝗻 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽: 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿𝘀? 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘯𝘰𝘸 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘤𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘳𝘦𝘤𝘰𝘳𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 👇 This session brought together leading experts from research and policy to explore how senior entrepreneurs can thrive, despite age-related barriers. 🎤 Moderated by Thomas Cooney (Professor of Entrepreneurship, Technological University Dublin), the discussion featured: 🔹 Ute Stephan (King's College London) – sharing insights on how entrepreneurship supports thriving societies 🔹 Sarah Loriato (AGE Platform Europe) – highlighting key EU policy perspectives on active ageing and inclusion 🔹 Aleksandra Gruszka (Technological University Dublin) – exploring how senior entrepreneurs build digital skills 💡 Expect a powerful mix of 𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵, 𝗽𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗶𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁𝘀, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗽𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀 on turning experience into a competitive advantage, overcoming age-related barriers, and unlocking new opportunities for senior entrepreneurs. 🎥 Watch the recording here: https://lnkd.in/eW53DJiD SIFTA | Social Inclusive Finance Technical Assistance #Entrepreneurship #MinorityEntrepreneurship #Inclusion #ActiveAgeing

‼️Discover the Agenda! Mark your calendars for 📆April 16th, as the European Microfinance Day returns to Brussels for its 2026 edition! 🎉 Registrations are open until 📆April 9th—don’t miss your chance and register now 🔗https://lnkd.in/ekAd7zeJ. We’re thrilled to announce our first session for the day "𝗜𝗺𝗽𝗮𝗰𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗠𝗶𝗰𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱 – 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗕𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗹𝘂𝘅 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀". This insightful discussion will delve into the real-world effects of microfinance in Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. Join us as we hear from Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) and the very entrepreneurs benefiting from these vital services. You’ll discover inspiring success stories and gain practical insights into the challenges and lessons learned in the sector. 🗣️Speakers for the day Lorraine de Fierlant (Microstart), Patrick Somerhausen (Funds For Good), Sam Paulus (microlux), and Marco Smit (Qredits). Let’s come together to share knowledge, celebrate achievements, and find ways to drive the future of microfinance forward! 🚀 🔍 Full agenda: https://lnkd.in/eTtJS_Y7 Learn more about the event: https://lnkd.in/e74VrAXg #EuropeanMicrofinanceDay2026 #Microfinance #ImpactInvesting #Brussels2026 #Benelux #Entrepreneurship #SocialImpact #FinanceForChange fi-compass Microfinance Centre

🚀 The European Microfinance Day 2026 will take place as a one-day, in-person event in Brussels on Thursday, April 16th!   This year’s edition is organised by the European Commission’s Directorate-General for Employment, Social Affairs and Inclusion (DG EMPL) and the European Investment Bank (EIB), in collaboration with the European Microfinance Network and the Microfinance Centre.   🎯 Make sure to save a spot to connect with EU microfinance stakeholders, explore challenges and opportunities, learn from ESF+ and InvestEU experiences, and help shape the future of inclusive finance in Europe.   📅 Save the date: April 16, 2026 | Brussels 👉 Register here: https://lnkd.in/dsyKpV59 ⚠️ Please note: Participation is subject to approval.   💪 #SIFTA continues to support the microfinance and social finance sector through capacity-building initiatives including webinars, trainings, peer exchanges, and study visits, strengthening institutions and expanding financial inclusion. 🔔 Follow our page to stay updated on upcoming events and discussions on microfinance and inclusive finance in Europe.   Social Inclusive Finance Technical Assistance (SIFTA) | Reinforcing the European Microfinance and Social Enterprise Finance sectors   #InvestEU #EIB #AdvisoryHub #microfinance #socialfinance   European Investment Bank (EIB) European Investment Fund (EIF) European Commission

🌍 Exciting Event Announcement! The day after the EMD 2026 event, on 📆 April 17th, EMN will be hosting a full-day, in-person workshop focused on impact pathways. Join us from 🕐 10:00 to 16:00 CET at our premises located at 📍 Rue d'Arlon 55, Brussels. Impact is at the heart of microfinance intermediaries’ work, where both financial and non-financial services play a vital role in supporting vulnerable communities across Europe. Our workshop will delve into the intricate relationships between outputs, outcomes, and impacts—what we refer to as impact pathways. Jörg Schoolmann, EMN Programme Director, will be our moderator for the day. Don’t miss this opportunity to deepen your understanding of impact pathways and their significance in microfinance! 🎟️ONLY 25 SLOTS AVAILABLE 🔗REGISTER HERE: https://lnkd.in/ebYxhrd4 #Microfinance #ImpactPathways #EMN #SIFTAWorkshop #Brussels SIFTA | Social Inclusive Finance Technical Assistance

Check out the agenda for #EuropeanMicrofinanceDay 2026 in the latest edition of the EMN Newsletter!

🌟 Exciting News! 🌟 There are less than four weeks until European Microfinance Day 2026! Join us in 📍𝗕𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘀 𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗶𝘀𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗛𝗼𝘁𝗲𝗹 𝗕𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘀 (𝗥𝘂𝗲 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘀𝘀𝗲 𝟭𝟵) 𝗼𝗻 📆𝗧𝗵𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗱𝗮𝘆, 𝗔𝗽𝗿𝗶𝗹 𝟭𝟲𝘁𝗵, 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗺 𝟵:𝟬𝟬 𝗔𝗠 𝘁𝗼 𝟱:𝟯𝟬 𝗣𝗠 𝗖𝗘𝗧. This one-day in-person event aims to deepen our understanding of how microfinance contributes to the EU's social and economic objectives. We’ll explore the significant impact of microfinance on vulnerable groups and local economies, while also discussing how to strengthen and develop the sector in the coming years. 🔍Don’t forget to check out the event main page: https://lnkd.in/e74VrAXg, and the event programme: https://lnkd.in/eTtJS_Y7 🔗 Registrations are open until April 9th at https://lnkd.in/ekAd7zeJ ‼️𝙋𝙧𝙞𝙤𝙧 𝙩𝙤 𝙥𝙡𝙖𝙣𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙩𝙧𝙞𝙥, 𝙥𝙡𝙚𝙖𝙨𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙧𝙚𝙜𝙞𝙨𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙖𝙣𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙞𝙘𝙞𝙥𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙧𝙚𝙦𝙪𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙫𝙖𝙡. 🗣️ Stay tuned for speaker announcements coming soon! #EuropeanMicrofinanceDay #Brussels2026

𝘎𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘨𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘵 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘸𝘦𝘣𝘪𝘯𝘢𝘳 𝘣𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳 𝘢 𝘵𝘳𝘶𝘭𝘺 𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘱𝘢𝘯𝘦𝘭 👇 For 𝗠𝗶𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽: 𝗦𝗲𝗻𝗶𝗼𝗿𝘀, we’re excited to welcome: 🎤 Thomas Cooney (𝗠𝗼𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗼𝗿) – 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗿 𝗼𝗳 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗲𝘂𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽, Technological University Dublin A leading voice in entrepreneurship and policy, bringing years of experience working with governments and international organisations. 🔹 Ute Stephan – 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗳𝗲𝘀𝘀𝗼𝗿, King's College London Ranked among the top 2% most-cited scientists worldwide, Ute’s work focuses on how people and societies thrive through entrepreneurship. Her research has been featured in Forbes, Financial Times, and BBC and she brings a powerful perspective on inclusive entrepreneurship. 🔹 Sarah Loriato – 𝗣𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗰𝘆 𝗢𝗳𝗳𝗶𝗰𝗲𝗿, AGE Platform Europe Working at the heart of EU policy on employment, inclusion, and active ageing, Sarah focuses on creating the right conditions for older people to stay active, including through entrepreneurship. 🔹 𝗔𝗹𝗲𝗸𝘀𝗮𝗻𝗱𝗿𝗮 𝗚𝗿𝘂𝘀𝘇𝗸𝗮 – 𝗣𝗵𝗗 𝗥𝗲𝘀𝗲𝗮𝗿𝗰𝗵𝗲𝗿, Technological University Dublin Aleksandra explores how senior entrepreneurs develop digital skills when launching new ventures, shedding light on how to better support entrepreneurship later in life. 💡 Expect a mix of research, policy insights, and real-world perspectives on how senior entrepreneurs can thrive. ⏳ 𝗢𝗻𝗹𝘆 𝟰𝟴 𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘀 𝗹𝗲𝗳𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗿𝗲𝗴𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿, don’t miss your chance to join the conversation! 🔗 https://lnkd.in/esYqRAAD SIFTA | Social Inclusive Finance Technical Assistance #EUPolicy #EUProjects #InclusiveEntrepreneurship #ActiveAgeing #SIFTA