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[Microfinance] - PC World Article
One example is the way that microfinance agencies build databases and other back-end systems to manage their work. Some microfinance institutions are running on manual systems or spreadsheets, said Peter Bladin, founding director of the Grameen Foundation's technology center. "Given how transaction intensive this is, it's amazing they don't have more sophisticated technology," he said.
Microfinance organizations sometimes try to buy a system that has been developed for a similar business but find it doesn't quite fit. Or they may try employing software developed for banks but also find they don't work quite right. Customization of such software is too expensive and unrealistic for most microfinance institutions, Bladin said.
So Grameen helped drive the effort to create Mifos, an open-source management information system designed for microfinance. "The beauty is anybody with technical skills can have access to the source code and enhance it," he said. "We have people writing code around the world and feeding it back."NetHope is also developing programs to support members. For instance, it is setting up an IT help desk that Accenture is helping with that will offer 24-hour technical support to employees of member companies. Click here to read the full article from PC World
[South-South Cooperation] -- Brazil, India -- ChennaiVisionMumbai, The bilateral trade between India and Brazil is targeted to reach USD 10 billion by 2010 in view of the new dynamics of South-South cooperation, accelerated by recession hitting the West, CII International Trade Panel Chairperson Harshbeena Zaveri said today.”The bilateral trade between the two countries has grown from a mere 500 million US dollars in 2000 to 3.12 billion US dollars in 2007 and is targeted to reach USD 10 billion by 2010”, Ms Zaveri, who is also president of NRB Bearings Pvt Ltd said during a conference with the Brazilian industry delegation, that is visiting the to give an impetus to trade and investment.Click here to access the complete article from ChennaiVision
India, Indonesia and South Korea reported significant year-on-year declines in exports on Friday.However, a growing gap in trade performance was underlined by India’s latest figures, with exports tumbling 33 per cent in March to $11.5bn (€8.7bn, £7.7bn) from a year earlier – the biggest drop on record.
India’s exports to the US have fallen more sharply than those of China, South Korea and Brazil, according to a study by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI).Gems, pharmaceuticals, textiles, vehicles and auto parts were all hit in an overall 12 per cent drop in US exports between October and February.“The sharp decline in our exports to the US, which accounts for 13 per cent of our global exports, is a matter of deep concern,” said Harsh Pati Singhania, the president of FICCI.
Click here to access this FT Asia article
One example is the way that microfinance agencies build databases and other back-end systems to manage their work. Some microfinance institutions are running on manual systems or spreadsheets, said Peter Bladin, founding director of the Grameen Foundation's technology center. "Given how transaction intensive this is, it's amazing they don't have more sophisticated technology," he said. 
