About the Center

The Center for Microfinance Leadership brings the best of leadership development and organizational diversity initiatives to the microfinance sector through workshops, coaching and support for organizational change.

The Center helps CEOs and senior managers hone the skills needed to steer their institutions through this period of rapid change and commercialization.

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Mission

The mission of the WWB Center for Microfinance Leadership is to support the development of a diverse set of principled, visionary leaders and high performing, meritocratic organizations for the microfinance industry.

Background

WWB’s commitment to supporting principled leaders at the helm of gender diverse microfinance providers (MFPs) dates to its establishment as a global network in 1979. Today the WWB network includes some of the most celebrated leaders in the industry, representing a global commitment to responsive, sustainable microfinance. Read more >>

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Download the Center for Mircofinance Leadership brochure. Also available in Spanish.

Why Gender Diversity Matters

Gender diversity matters in microfinance. WWB champions gender diversity because we believe that diverse perspectives lead to stronger decisions and healthier, more vibrant organizations. Incorporating women’s voices when designing and delivering microfinance products is particularly important when a majority of clients are women. Equally as important, microfinance clients often speak of the inspiration they derive from seeing powerful women leaders in the organizations that serve them. How best to achieve diversity? The answer lies in leadership and technical skill development of individual, high-potential leaders as well as in organizational transformations to ensure that all women and men work in environments where they can perform, excel and lead.

Featured Publication

“Transforming the Landscape of Leadership in Microfinance: Maintaining the Focus on Women” introduces WWB’s new methodology for helping MFIs support gender diversity at all levels of their institution. WWB has expanded its Women’s Leadership Development Program, which works with individuals, to include a tool that focuses on the challenges and opportunities microfinance institutions face in the attraction, retention, and promotion of qualified women staff members - the Organizational Gender Assessment. Now available in English and Spanish.

Women Microfinance Leaders Meet in Morocco- Women’s World Banking Women in Leadership Exchange

Over four days in Morocco in late February, women microfinance leaders from the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) and Sub-Saharan African regions met to further develop their leadership skills while learning about the local microfinance sector. Led by the Center for Microfinance Leadership, WWB's Women in Leadership Exchange hosted nine participants from seven institutions in seven countries for the four-day exchange in Rabat and Casablanca. Association Al Amana, a leading Moroccan microfinance institution (MFI) and member of the WWB network, acted as local co-host and opened their doors to the group. Click here to read the full story.
To view more photos from the exchange:

Latest Headlines

  • Center For Microfinance Leadership Graduates Recognized for Excellence in Code of Ethics
    Wed, May 2, 2012

    The Center for Microfinance Leadership is happy to announce that the WWB network member pledge and the codes of ethics from Ujjivan (India), Enda inter-arabe (Tunisia), FMM Popayán (Colombia), Kashf Foundation (Pakistan), Mibanco (Peru) and Banco FIE (Bolivia) were among the 14 MFI and microfinance association codes of ethics selected for their excellence by the Smart Campaign. In particular, the Smart Campaign commended the strong guidelines for how to treat clients fairly and respectfully.

  • 24 Microfinance Leaders Sharpen Skills in the Advanced Leadership Program
    Tue, May 1, 2012

    From April 16-20th, the WWB Center for Microfinance Leadership welcomed senior leaders in Philadelphia, USA for the 4th Annual Advanced Leadership Program. Participants hailed from 22 institutions in 19 different countries, representing all regions of the world.

  • Wharton School Hosts 4th Annual Women’s World Banking Advanced Leadership Program
    Fri, April 6, 2012

    PHILADELPHIA– The Wharton School announced today that it expects strong attendance at the fourth cohort of the Women’s World Banking(WWB) Advanced Leadership Program.

  • WWB Hosts Women in Leadership Exchange in Morocco
    Tue, March 6, 2012

    WWB hosted its fourth Women in Leadership Exchange from February 20 to 23, 2012. Nine graduates of WWB's Women in Leadership Program from seven institutions in seven countries participated in the four-day Exchange in Rabat and Casablanca, Morocco. Al Amana microfinance, a leading Moroccon microfinance institution and member of the WWB network, acted as local co-host and was one of the sites visited during the Exchange. Participants also had the opportunity to visit Fondation Banque Populaire and the Mohammed VI Centre for Supporting Solidairy Micro-Finance.

  • Women’s World Banking hosts Management Development Program and Training of Trainers in Morocco
    Fri, February 17, 2012

    25 microfinance managers from 17 institutions in 6 countries across the Middle East and North Africa have come together in Rabat, Morocco from February 13 to February 18, 2012 for the Women's World Banking (WWB) Management Development Program and Training of Trainers (MDP TOT).

  • Women’s World Banking Partners with ACLEDA Training Center to Enhance Management Quality in Microfinance
    Sat, January 21, 2012

    27 participants from 15 institutions in 5 countries in the Asia Pacific region came together in Cambodia from January 16 to 21, 2012 for Women’s World Banking’s (WWB) Center for Microfinance Leadership Management Development Program and Training of Trainers (MDP TOT), a 6-day course aiming to develop transformational skills for managers of microfinance institutions (MFIs).

  • We are our people: Promoting Women’s Leadership at Pro Mujer
    Mon, January 9, 2012

    During the Center for Microfinance Leadership Management Development Program and Training of Trainers held in Quito, Ecuador, 22 managers from 17 institutions in 8 countries across Latin America and the Caribbean came together for a 6-day training focused on developing transformational management skills for microfinance leaders. Among the group were a number of extraordinary women representing Pro Mujer in Argentina, Bolivia, Mexico and Nicaragua. As the participants were getting to know each other, a common trend began to emerge: delegates from Pro Mujer had started as clients of the institutions where they now work as managers.

    A core focus at Women’s World Banking is to promote principled and visionary leadership for the microfinance industry. Key to achieving this mission is to ensure that institutions have a pipeline of highly qualified women who represent the current and future leadership of high-performing, meritocratic microfinance providers committed to the double-bottom line.

  • Somos nuestra gente: Promoviendo el Liderazgo de la Mujer en Pro Mujer
    Wed, January 4, 2012

    Durante la Capacitación en Desarrollo Gerencial para Capacitadores del Centro para el Liderazgo en las Microfinanzas, celebrado en Quito, Ecuador, 22 gerentes procedentes de 17 instituciones de 8 países, a lo largo de América Latina y el Caribe, se reunieron para participar en una capacitación de 6 días de duración, enfocada hacia el desarrollo de pericias gerenciales para la transformación, para líderes en microfinanzas. Dentro del grupo había un número de mujeres extraordinarias que representaban a Pro Mujer en Argentina, Bolivia, México y Nicaragua. A medida que las participantes se fueron conociendo entre sí, comenzó a surgir una tendencia común: las delegadas de Pro Mujer habían comenzado como clientas de las instituciones donde ahora trabajan como gerentes.

    Un enfoque fundamental en Women’s World Banking consiste en promover un liderazgo visionario y de principios para la industria de las microfinanzas. Es clave para el logro de esta misión asegurar que las instituciones cuentan con una reserva de mujeres altamente cualificadas, que representan el liderazgo actual y futuro de proveedores de microfinanzas de elevado desempeño, meritocráticos y comprometidos con la doble rentabilidad.

  • Knowledge@Wharton: Microfinance's Latest Challenge: Cutting Back on Over-indebtedness Among Its Poorest Clients
    Wed, December 7, 2011

    Long before "99%" became a symbol of Occupy Wall Street, the microfinance industry used the number to describe the share of its clients -- poor entrepreneurs shunned by traditional banks -- who repaid their micro-loans on time. It's a number used less and less in microfinance these days -- not because of Occupy Wall Street, but because many micro-borrowers are starting to default.

  • WWB and Wharton Bring Together Microfinance Leaders for Advanced Leadership Program
    Thu, December 1, 2011

    The third Advanced Leadership Program co-hosted by Women’s World Banking and Wharton’s Aresty Institute of Executive Education’s has brought together senior leaders from 15 institutions in 14 countries. The Advanced Leadership Program challenges leaders to think strategically in complex and changing environment, learn from industry peers and enhance their negotiation, critical thinking and scenario planning skills.

See full headline list