Message-ID: <003c01bdee4f$6b9e3780$26fdc9c2@av.form-net.com> Date: Fri, 2 Oct 1998 18:55:51 -0300 From: Ariane <mailto:ariane@PLANETBANK.ORG> Subject: NEWS : PlaNet Bank Official Launch To: mailto:DEVEL-L@AMERICAN.EDU
--------------------------------- PLANET BANK's NEWS --------------------------SORRY FOR CROSS-POSTING PLEASE DISTRIBUTE THIS MESSAGE
----------------------------------- LATEST EWS ------------------------------
PlaNet Bank launch : October 5th Visit our updated Site : http://www.planetbank.org Interested Microfinance Institution write to : mailto:genesis@planetbank.org Interested Team Members/Experts write to : mailto:recruit@planetbank.org
To receive regular information about PlaNet Bank subscribe to our General Information Mailing List on http://www.planetbank.org
----------------------------------- PRESENTATION -----------------------------
Poverty has become one of the world's greatest challenges: 1,3 billion people are currently living on less than one dollar a day, there will be 3 billion in 2040. Micro-Finance Institutions (MFI) and Non-Governmental Organisations (NGOs) have been trying to address this challenge through the implementation of micro-credit programs and small lending projects. At the same time, the Internet has become the largest network on earth, and in the process it has transformed the planet into a Global Village.
------------------------------- PLANET BANK's PRESENTATION --------------------
PlaNet Bank is a new international non-governmental institution that aims at alleviating poverty by directly supporting micro-finance institutions and small initiatives. One of the goals is to bridge the gap between the traditional financial sector and the micro-finance sector, with the understanding that micro-credit is all the more efficient since developed within the context of education, infrastructure and democracy improvement.
PlaNet Bank's operations are driven by a new concept: the network-based institution. It operates on the Internet, providing its services and products over the network and around the globe. It also uses the Internet as a work platform, involving several teams of experts who, through network-based collaboration, support its development.
PlaNet Bank's products will be available world-wide, but PlaNet Bank's initial operations focus on Africa.
PlaNet Bank's main products and services will be:
-> Financial products to MFIs : PlaNet Bank -> Information about micro-finance : PlaNet Virtual Library -> Training for micro-credit institutions and governments : PlaNet Online University -> Rating and quality certification of micro-finance institutions : PlaNet Rating -> Action research to develop innovative micro-finance approaches : PlaNet Research
--------------------------------- PLANET BANK's SUPPORTS ----------------------
PlaNet Bank has already received top-level international support. An honorary Board, presided by Mr. Abdou Diouf, President of the Republic of Senegal, gathers european personnalities such as Mr. Michel Rocard, European Deputy and Chairman of the Committee of Development and Cooperation (European Parliament) and Mr. Massimo Ponzellini, Vice-President of the European Investment Bank, but also Mr. Shashi Taroor, Director Communications and Special Projects for United Nations and Mr.Kimanthi Mutua, Managing Director of K-REP Holdings Ltd. The board of the organization presided by Mr. Jacques Attali already gathers several bankers and counts among its members Mr. Muhammad Yunus, founder and President of the Grameen Bank.
--------------------------- PLANET BANK's LAUNCH : October 5th --------------------
We are proud to confirm that the PlaNet Bank initiative has made headway. First of all, the institution will be officially launched October the 5th with a physical location in Paris. Additionally, PlaNet Bank started operating as a pilot project on June 1, 1998. A team co-ordinated by Arnaud Ventura defines and develops the PlaNet Bank's system as well as gathers the necessary funds for PlaNet Bank's development.
Additionally, the preliminary studies necessary to prepare the creation of the non-financial services are being undertaken. These studies particularly concern the Virtual Library and the Training Centre. PlaNet Bank is already able to offer to its clients and partners a rating instrument (Girafe) and an online auto-scoring service will be available in the weeks to come.
----------------------------- PLANET BANK's TEAM MEMBER ? ----------------------
To support the growing activity, we seek new PlaNet Bankers interested in working for the following networks:
- The Country Agents Network for people working in the field, close to the practitioners, MFI and NGO. - The Rating Experts Network which brings together micro-finance and finance specialists. - The Communication Agents Network that promotes the PlaNet Bank initiative and thus increases the number of its beneficiaries.
The PlaNet bank project relies on the input of a vast variety of people located around the world. PlaNet Bank already benefits from the expertise of a good fifty people. They are experts, bankers, auditors, lawyers, ngineers, economists, software specialists, etc. Each of them is really motivated by the project and interested in taking part in this development and solidarity initiative. The amount of work depends on the people, some of them spending ten hours a month, others several hours a day. They work in shifts through the departments, exchanging ideas and experiences.
Whatever your skills and experiences, you can help us develop the micro-finance sector. If you are interested in such a development project, please contact us at mailto:recruit@planetbank.org .
--------------------------- PLANET BANK's POTENTIAL MFI PARTNER ? ----------------
If you are involved in microfinance, as a Micro Finance Institution, NGO, Banks etc, you can also contact us to find out more about our services and be part of our Network of Microfinance Partners : GENESIS. You will soon get access through it to a low cost source of financing as well as to information and training ressources. Please write to mailto:info@planetbank.org