Microfinance International Conference

Submitted to: Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund

Submitted by: Social Enterprise Development Centre-LUMS Sector U, DHA, Lahore Cantonment

Organizational History and Background

Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) is a leading centre of excellence in Education in Pakistan and the region. Its mission is to impact the theory, thinking, practice and performance in the areas of management and social sciences. In July 2001, LUMS launched the LUMS-McGill Social Enterprise Development Programme which was later converted to Social Enterprise Development Centre (SEDC), a resource centre for capacity building of the social enterprise sector. The programme was launched in collaboration with the McGill University (Canada), with financial support from Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA). LUMS extended its research, teaching and consultation expertise to the social sector through its highly qualified faculty at the Suleman Dawood School of Business (SDSB), the Social Sciences faculty and the SEDC team. McGill University brought to this collaboration a solid experience of institutional strengthening in Pakistan and other Asian countries. CIDA joined hands to extend its mission of supporting sustainability in developing countries. LUMS SSE is the first private research school for Science and Engineering in Pakistan. Initiated in 2004 for launch in 2008, it promises to be a completely new model for the country. LUMS-SEDCs goal is to augment the managerial capacity of social enterprises to enable them to manage their operations in a sustainable manner. Its interventions are derived from the key areas of research, training and consultancy which work collectively to create intellectual capital that will advance the conceptual frontiers of knowledge and managerial practice. By finding sustainable solutions for social sector organizations, SEDC also supports the LUMS mission of generating and disseminating knowledge and helping in the uplift of society. SEDCs strategy is pivotal in guiding the centre towards the achievement of its vision and mission. This strategy enables the centre to identify and design need-based interventions grounded in research, use training to build capacity of individuals and provide consultations to organizations; consequently allowing it to achieve the objectives of institutional and organizational change by ensuring optimum utilization of resources for sustainable development. Over the years, SEDC has developed a networking database of SEDC fellows who have participated in any of its training programmes. This has lead to the formation of six geographical chapters in the major cities of Pakistan as well as five thematic groups in SEDCs priority areas. The combined strength of geographical chapters and thematic groups is 438 members across Pakistan. In addition, SEDC has also developed a LUMS Alumni Volunteer Network (LAVN) which voluntarily provides assistance to NGOs as a social responsibility.

The process of developing, designing and delivering programmes for the social sector has resulted in the spillover benefit of developing strategic linkages with international institutions such as: McGill University Canada, Carleton University Canada, and University of Washington USA. SEDC has worked with developmental agencies such as CIDA and UNICEF- ROSA. SEDC-LUMS is a part of the South Asian Evaluation Institutions Network. The SAEIN partners are Lahore University of Management Sciences Pakistan, Tata Institute of Social Sciences India, University of Sri Jayewardenepura Sri Lanka, University of Dhaka Bangladesh, Administrative Staff College of India India, Indian Institute of Health Management Research India.

Microfinance International Conference

Microfinance sector is growing at a rapid pace creating an increased demand for experienced professionals. Some of the problems include keeping a balance between reaching out to more poorer people and that of covering the microfinance sectors own costs, drawing the attention of microcredit institutions to focus on saving accounts, addressing the need of collecting information about rural clients and deciding which means would be efficient and affordable or the collection of this information. What product and services will be better for which people? The provision of sustainable access to financial services for women has become a core component of many women's microenterprise programmes, and is at the center of the attention of governments, social partners, civil society organizations and international donors. To address such problems and many more, there arises the need for the experts in this sector to meet and discuss these issues and together find answer to such questions.

LUMS-SEDC & PPAF International Microfinance Conference

Social Enterprise Development Center at Lahore University of Management Sciences in collaboration with Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) aims to arrange a two day international microfinance conference with the purpose to provide an open platform to the microfinance professionals to shed light on the development and innovations on microfinance. This mega event is an effort to facilitate Pakistans microfinance sector for the year ahead based on the lessons derived from the past. It would focus on effective microfinance practices, linkages, opportunities, gaps in the microfinance sector through policy dialogue and policy formulation. The conference aims to recommend strategies to boost economic growth in Pakistan with the view to build robust and inclusive microfinance systems that create employment, wealth and increase income of the poor.

Conference Format
The conference will be held over two days in the first week of March at Serena Hotel Islamabad. The conference is set to bring policy makers, practitioners, academicians, researchers, mainstream financial institutions, donors, and international participants in one platform and share their experiences and strategies to overcome issues plaguing microfinance in Pakistan. The main objectives of the conference are as follows Information dissemination and exchange of ideas and experiences through an open forum Provide formal and informal opportunities for lateral learning, strategic partnerships and linkages Formulation of policy dialogues to improve mechanisms, products and services Issues and challenges in rural financing and recognizing gender issues in microfinance and ways to improve by suggesting gender sensitive indicators and components Raise awareness among the Academia, Civil society and Policy makers about microfinance issues prevailing in Pakistan and enhanced social sector responsibility and greater ownership for microfinance initiatives instilled in future decision makers and leaders

The mega conference will provide a unique opportunity for microfinance professionals, educators, students, and interested members to engage in a dialogue and showcase a wide variety of success stories, explore recent innovations, and connect with the MFIs supporting the effort to find solutions to effective means of micro financing globally. Distinguished and eminent speakers from worlds leading microfinance organizations will be invited to shed light on the prevailing challenges and development in the microfinance sector. Technical speakers from microfinance institution and banks will be invited to address the current challenges and development in the microfinance. The conference will consists of break up sessions chaired by the moderator and the participants will be welcomed to share their research experiences from academia and case studies by partner organizations of PPAF, microfinance institutions and microfinance banks. Attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions, make comments, and engage in discussions with the presenters and moderator. Participant will be asked to present their activities and recommendations in the following areas Rural Microfinance Different Approaches to Microfinance New Product Development Gender and Microfinance Issues and Problems of Microfinance Acumen Resource Development in Microfinance

Proposed Schedule
Proposed schedule of the conference will be as follows

Day 1
Welcome address by LUMS-SEDC Opening Remarks by Conference Director and CEO PPAF Chief Guest Technical Speaker 1: Topic- State of Microfinance in Pakistan Technical Speaker 2: Topic- Development in Microfinance Sector Tea Break Policy Dialogue Panel Discussion Lunch Break out sessions on Tea Conclusion of the day Rural Microfinance Different Approaches to Microfinance New Product Development

Day 2
Opening Remarks by Conference Director and CEO PPAF Chief Guest Speaker 1 (From Leading MF): Speaker2 (From Leading MF): Tea Break Policy Formulation Panel Discussion Lunch Break out sessions on Tea Closing Remarks by Guest Speaker Gender and Microfinance Issues and Problems of Microfinance Acumen Resource Development in Microfinance

Conference Administration and Financial Cost

Budget Required: 1 million US $ A total of 250 participants will be invited. The break up is International 30 Islamabad 120 All over in Pakistan 100 LUMS-SEDC will provide the following facilities Reading material Folder/stationary Bags Lunch/Tea/Dinner Gifts/souvenirs Media coverage Arrangement of boarding and lodging of participants and staff Staff honorarium Administrative expense (25%)