Middle East Microcredit Summit to Be Held in Nairobi

Micro-Finance Support in Kenya

Association of Microfinance Institutions (AMFI) Kenya, in conjunction with the Micro-Credit Summit Campaign are organizing the AFRICA – MIDDLE EAST MICROCREDIT SUMMIT AND EXHIBITION running from 7th-10th April, 2010 in Nairobi. The summit and Exhibition which is themed “ending poverty” will seek for ways of ending poverty in Africa and Middle East which carry most of the poor countries in the world. According to UNICEF, 25,000 children die daily due to poverty. And they die quietly in some of the poorest villages on earth, far removed from the scrutiny and conscience of the world. Being meek and weak in life makes the dying multitudes even more invisible in death.

According to the organizers of the summit, the outcome of the meeting will be of great help to Africa in curbing poverty, malnutrition and hunger which affect millions of children in the continent. Nobel Peace Prize Laureate Prof. Muhammad Yunus, and more than 2500 delegates from over 40 countries are expected to attend. The summit will have a side-exhibition running alongside it where over 400 local and foreign exhibitors are expected to participate with a vast representation from key industries. The Microcredit Summit Campaign was launched in 1997 to reach 100 million of the world’s poorest families, especially the women of those families, with credit for self-employment and other financial and business services by the end of 2005. AMFI is a membership organisation registered in 1999 under the societies Act to lead Microfinance Institutions in Kenya to build capacity of the local microfinance industry.

The over 2500 delegates attending this year’s summit will have the choice of participating in a wide variety of plenary sessions, more than twenty one workshops, four day-long courses, various council meetings, and associated sessions over the course of the four-day summit. Moreover, the summit will offer optional field visits to leading Kenyan microfinance institutions. Renowned speakers from the world over will be in the country to give speeches and address the summit. The exhibition will bring the best of Africa and Middle East products and services especially those in Micro-finance Institutions, Micro-finance Associations and networks, Agriculture, Environment, IT, insurance, bodies, Renewable energy, Water & sanitation, Urban and rural Development, Health, Women. The summit will give chance to microfinance institutions and stakeholders of the microfinance industry to have one on one contact with the delegates and visitors who will learn more on how they can improve their standard of living. Currently visitor mobilisation campaign is underway to ensure maximum attendance.

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