Recognizing the long Partnerships and Collaborations that AMFIU has enjoyed over the years of existence

This year marked an importance milestone in the existence of the Association of Microfinance Institutions of Uganda (AMFIU). Having been established in 1996, AMFIU decided to celebrate 25 years of existence this year. The celebrations kicked off with a microfinance conference where stakeholders converged to discuss pertinent issues that affect the microfinance sector.

Today, we want to salute the partners who have walked with us this long journey.

Norwegian Association of Disabled (NAD)

In 2005, the Micro finance and Disability project was launched as a joint venture between the Association of Microfinance Institutions of Uganda (AMFIU), the National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU), and National Council for Disability( NCD) and, the Norwegian Association of Disabled (NAD). The project was aimed at increasing access to sustainable microfinance services for disabled persons in Uganda.

This followed a study conducted by Opportunity Consulting for NAD in Uganda, that found that the microfinance industry was relatively well developed and all visited MFIs highlighted non-discriminatory policy towards including PWDs as regular clients in their institutions.?It was also found that the number of PWDs involved in viable business activities is high and many could benefit from loans and other financial services.

The project was therefore in response to the need for an initiative to include persons with disability as clients in microfinance institutions (MFIs). The partners in this cooperation believed that the lack of outreach to the people with disability, is among many reasons based on a lack of knowledge among both the MFIs and the disabled population.

Since then, the project has evolved into the iSAVE inclusive economic empowerment program and many successes have been registered.?

Agricultural Business Initiative (aBi)

aBi Finance Limited provides Lines of Credit (LoCs) to Financial Institutions for on-lending to agribusinesses across the entire value chain. aBi Finance Limited also runs an Agriculture Loan Guarantee Scheme (ALGs) for Financial Institutions to share losses incurred through defaulting loans.

AMFIU has been in partnership with aBi since 2015. A number of programs have been implemented through this partnership among which include the following:

• Social Performance Management
• Financial literacy
• Performance monitoring
• Digital financial literacy
• Product development and Business skills development
• Farm record keeping
• Risk Management

German Sparkassenstiftung Eastern Africa (DSIK)

AMFIU has been in partnership with DSIK since 2018. DSIK’s support is towards capacity building of the secretariat in areas of establishing a business arm - the AMFIU Business Consult (ABC), Capacity building of members by training through simulation models, Games, and supporting members in digitalization processes. In addition, they extend support towards inculcating a saving culture amongst young stars through the financial Education in Schools program. The donor still has running agreements and still supports both AMFIU and AMFIU Business Consult Ltd

Water.org

In 2019, AMFIU entered into partnership with an American NGO, Water.Org to support AMFIU members in developing a Water Credit loan facility. The project started with 28 Members of AMFIU that expressed interest to be part of the project. The Water Credit facility addresses the social performance impact of the institutions towards the client in way that the loan facility has a tangible impact to the client that addresses the social impact of the institution.

Germany Cooperation for International Cooperation (GIZ)

One of the oldest development partners that has supported AMFIU in different programs over the years. The support contribution from GIZ has continued even in the recent years that has seen AMFIU grow and serve its mandate for now 25 years.

GIZ has supported AMFIU’s mailstone in different areas that promote financial services and financial inclusion. The support from GIZ included capacity building trainings to AMFIU staff and Members in areas of agric financing, Consumer protection,?PMT Trainings, Proposal writing skills and many others.

GIZ also supported AMFIU in various areas of institutional strengthening that included;

• Completing the training centre and fully furnishing it
• Donated a vehicle to AMFIU (Nissan Patrol)
• Salary support to staff
• Equipping AMFIU’s Computer Centre with all required equipments
• Equipping training centre with chairs and tables
• Sponsorship of AMFIU conferences and trainings
• Support of the AMFIU resource center
• Support with technical advisors
• Support in PMT/PMS Installation and updates

Citi Foundation through Citibank

AMFIU in partnership with Citibank has been annually organizing the Citi Microentreprenuership awards to raise awareness about the importance and contribution of microfinance in promoting financial inclusion and demonstrate its role in improving the lives of low income individuals. The awards also provide an opportunity for members to get to see how their peers are supporting their customers and for the customers to learn sound business principles and financial management practices from their peers.

MasterCard Foundation via SEEP Network

The SEEP Network was a global non-profit network of over 120 microfinance associations and microenterprise development practitioners. SEEP’s mission was to connect its members in a global learning environment spanning over 170 countries to increase their impact. For many years SEEP Network supported in Institutional strengthening, Complaints mechanism support, and Code of Conduct support

CORDAID

CORDAID was established in 2000 when several Dutch aid Organizations( Memisa, Mensen in Nood, Vastenaktle and Kinderstem) who joined forces in Netherlands. Cordaid started their partnership with AMFIU in 2005.

During this partnership with AMFIU, specific activities and focus was put on gender specific policies, tools and instruments. With in gender mainstreaming, attention was in the field of Social Performance Monitoring, Agriculture Finance and consumer education /Financial literacy.

Under Social Performance Monitoring, CORDAID adopted a specific tool for SPM that was developed by Triple jump. Agriculture Finance through knowledge development and training, piloting of models and information management.

Consumer Education and Financial literacy modules were developed for training of members of small holder farmer Associations.

Opportunity International

The partnership started in 2019 with support to provide technical assistance in ‘’ Financial Inclusion for persons with disabilities. Support was in areas of disability inclusive assessments to the branches and operations in general, development of entrepreneurship and financial literacy training manuals for beneficiary trainings and dissemination of a business case for Inclusion of persons with disabilities in mainstream financial services targeting the entire financial sector.

Government of Uganda

AMFIU has enjoyed cordial working relationship with the government through the different project that have been under the Ministry of Finance Planning and Economic Development. AMFIU worked on the Project for financial Inclusion in Rural Areas (PROFIRA), a government project where AMFIU supported 85 SACCOs in Northern Uganda, building capacity in different disciplines of Financial Management, Financial literacy and governance.

USAID, Feed the Future Institution System Strengthen Activity (USAID FtF ISS)

In 2023, USAID Feed the Future Institution System Strengthen Activity (USAID FtF ISS) started supporting AMFIU in implementing a project for Enhancing Access to Financial Services for Smallholder Farmers. The overall goal of the project is “to increase access to Agri-finance for smallholder farmers, especially women and youth in Uganda”