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> From: Ariane @ PlaNet Bank <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: NEWS : PlaNet Bank Official Launch
> Date: Saturday, October 10, 1998 12:10 AM
>
> ------------------------- PLANET BANK's NEWS --------------------
>
>                               SORRY FOR CROSS-POSTING
>                            PLEASE DISTRIBUTE THIS MESSAGE
>
> ------------------------- LATEST NEWS  --------------------------
>
>                         PlaNet Bank launch : October 5th
>                 Visit our updated Site : http://www.planetbank.org
>
>           Interested Microfinance Institution write to :
>                                 [log in to unmask]
>
>               Interested Team Members/Experts write to :
>                                 [log in to unmask]
>
>           To receive regular information about PlaNet Bank
>           subscribe to the General Information Mailing List
>                          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
> billions 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 --------------
>
> 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,
> engineers, 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 [log in to unmask] .
>
> ------------- 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 [log in to unmask]