MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Arnur Credit of Kazakhstan Borrows $3.3m from Grameen Crédit Agricole to Expand Access to Microfinance

The Luxembourg-based Grameen Crédit Agricole (GCA) Foundation recently loaned EUR 3 million (USD 3.3 million) to Arnur Credit, a microfinance institution (MFI) that operates in southern Kazakhstan. Arnur provides

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Grameen Credit Agricole Foundation Lends $2.2m in Local Currency to ACEP Burkina for On-lending to Micro-, Small, Medium-sized Enterprises (MSMEs)

The Luxembourg-based Grameen Credit Agricole (GCA) Foundation has announced it lent local currency approximately equivalent to USD 2.2 million to the microfinance institution Agence de Credit pour l’Entreprise Privee (ACEP) Burkina. One of four members of the ACEP Group, ACEP Burkina provides financial services to micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in urban regions of Burkina Faso. The institution was created in 2009 and

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Grameen Credit Agricole Foundation Lends $700k to LAPO SL for Microlending to Women in Sierra Leone

The Grameen Credit Agricole (GCA) Foundation has announced it lent approximately USD 700,000 to Lift Above Poverty Organization (LAPO) Microfinance Company SL, which is located in Sierra Leone, mainly serving women in rural areas. Its product lineup includes savings accounts as

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Grameen Credit Agricole Foundation Lends $3.7m to Assilassimé Solidarite of Togo, Agora Microfinance Zambia (AMZ)

The Grameen Credit Agricole (GCA) Foundation, whose head office is in Luxembourg, has announced its disbursal of local-currency loans to Togo-based Assilassimé Solidarite in an amount approximately equivalent to

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Grameen Credit Agricole Foundation Lends $4.6m to Agency for Finance in Kosovo (AFK), Microinvest of Moldova, Monte Credit of Montenegro

The Grameen Credit Agricole (GCA) Foundation, whose head office is in Luxembourg, has informed MicroCapital that it is disbursing loans to: (1) Agency for Finance in Kosovo (AFK) in the amount of EUR 1.5 million (USD 1.8 million); (2) Moldova-based Microinvest in local currency approximately

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation Loaning $2.6m in Local Currency to Humo of Tajikistan, ACF of Kazakhstan for On-Lending, Mainly to Rural Customers

The Grameen Crédit Agricole (GCA) Foundation, whose head office is in Luxembourg, recently announced it has begun disbursing two loans in local currency to microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Central Asia. In Tajikistan, GCA Foundation is disbursing a loan worth approximately

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Grameen Credit Agricole Foundation Lends $1.8m to Entrepreneur Financial Center (EFC) in Zambia

The Grameen Crédit Agricole (GCA) Foundation, whose head office is in Luxembourg, has granted its first loan to Entrepreneur Financial Center (EFC), a microfinance institution (MFI) located in Zambia. The three-year loan is in local currency equivalent to approximately USD 1.8 million. EFC Zambia serves micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) and has eight branches. The MFI holds 20,000 savings and term deposit accounts and as of February 2021 has disbursed 51,000 MSME loans totaling ZMW 155 million (USD 7.2 million). It has 3,000 borrowers, nearly half of whom are women or organizations owned by women. In addition to business loans, the MFI offers

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: ACEP Burkina Borrows $2.6m from Grameen Credit Agricole Foundation for Microlending

ACEP Burkina, one of the five members of ACEP International, has received a loan approximately equivalent to EUR 2.3 million (USD 2.57 million) from the Grameen Credit Agricole (GCA) Foundation, whose head office is in Luxembourg, to support microlending in Burkina Faso. ACEP Burkina specializes in providing loans to micro- and small enterprises in urban and suburban areas. It was founded in 2012 as a partnership between Investisseurs & Partenaires (I&P),

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Bereke Microfinance Organization of Kazakhstan Borrows $680k from Grameen Credit Agricole Foundation

Bereke Microfinance Organization, which is located in Kazakhstan, has received a loan in local currency approximately equivalent to USD 680,000 from the Grameen Credit Agricole (GCA) Foundation, whose head office is in Luxembourg, to expand its loan portfolio. Bereke seeks to increase its clients’ standard of living by lending for microenterprise, small enterprise, agriculture, housing and consumption. The institution was founded in 2003 to serve the northern, eastern and central regions of Kazakhstan. As of 2017,

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Grameen Credit Agricole Foundation Lends $776k to Oxus Kyrgyzstan for Microfinance Lending

The Grameen Credit Agricole (GCA) Foundation, whose head office is in Luxembourg, has informed MicroCapital that it issued a three-year loan in local currency approximately equivalent to USD 776,000 in favor of Oxus Kyrgyzstan, a microfinance institution (MFI) that was founded in 2006. ACTED, a French NGO formerly known as the Agency for Technical Cooperation and Development, holds 50.2 percent of the shares of Oxus Kyrgyzstan.

As of 2018, Oxus Kyrgyzstan had a gross loan portfolio of EUR 6.6 million (USD 7.5 million) and 7,000 active clients. The MFI lends mostly for agriculture, livestock breeding and

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Berendina Micro Investments of Sri Lanka Receives $393k Guarantee from Grameen Credit Agricole Foundation for Microfinance Lending

Berendina Micro Investments Company (BMIC) of Sri Lanka has secured a loan guarantee of EUR 375,000 (USD 426,000) from the Grameen Credit Agricole (GCA) Foundation, whose head office is in Luxembourg, allowing the microfinance institution to secure funding from an unidentified third party. BMIC will use the funding to boost its microlending in

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Grameen Credit Agricole Foundation Loans $815k to Baobab DRC for Microfinance in Democratic Republic of Congo

The Grameen Credit Agricole (GCA) Foundation, whose head office is in Luxembourg, has informed MicroCapital that it lent EUR 716,000 (USD 815,000) to Baobab DRC, a microfinance institution (MFI) operating in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The MFI is affiliated with Baobab, a France-based firm offering financial services in 10 countries. Baobab DRC

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: VisionFund DRC Borrows $1m from Grameen Credit Agricole Foundation for Rural Microenterprise Lending

VisionFund DRC, a microfinance institution (MFI) in the Democratic Republic of Congo, has secured a loan of approximately USD 1 million from the Grameen Credit Agricole (GCA) Foundation, whose head office is in Luxembourg. VisionFund DRC provides loans, savings and microinsurance to approximately 2,900

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Grameen Credit Agricole Foundation Disburses Local-currency Loan Worth $2.8m to AMK Microfinance Institution of Cambodia

The Grameen Credit Agricole (GCA) Foundation, whose head office is in Luxembourg, recently informed MicroCapital that it has lent the equivalent of EUR 2.5 million (USD 2.8 million) in local currency to AMK Microfinance Institution, which was founded in Cambodia in 2003 under

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: KOMIDA of Indonesia Borrows $2.4m in Local Currency from Grameen Credit Agricole Foundation for Microenterprise Lending for Rural Women

Koperasi Mitra Dhuafa (KOMIDA), a savings and loan cooperative in Indonesia, has secured a three-year loan worth approximately USD 2.4 million in local currency from the Grameen Credit Agricole (GCA) Foundation, whose head office is in Luxembourg. KOMIDA was established in 2004 to provide collateral-free loans to low-income women in rural areas. As of 2019, it serves 598,000 members through 237 offices. In addition to loans and savings,

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Grameen Credit Agricole Foundation Disburses Local-currency Loan Worth $800k to Uganda Microcredit Foundation (UMF)

The Grameen Credit Agricole (GCA) Foundation, whose head office is in Luxembourg, recently informed MicroCapital that it has lent EUR 700,000 (USD 800,000) in local currency to Uganda Microcredit Foundation (UMF) Limited to support its microfinance activities. Founded in 2008, UMF provides group and individual loans for business, education,

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Vert Limited of Kenya Borrows $500k from Grameen Credit Agricole Foundation to Support Small-scale Farmers, Fresh Produce Exports

Vert Limited, a Kenyan exporter of vegetables, fruits, herbs, and spices, has borrowed EUR 440,000 (USD 500,000) from the Grameen Credit Agricole (GCA) Foundation, whose head office is in Luxembourg, to support its exports to Europe. Founded in 2000, Vert has approximately 200 employees. The company sources fresh produce from 3,000 smallholder farmers through 60 collection centers. To support these growers, Vert provides technical

MICROCAPITAL BRIEF: Grameen Credit Agricole Foundation Loans Agora Microfinance Zambia (AMZ) Local-currency Equivalent of $687k

The Grameen Credit Agricole Foundation (GCA) has told MicroCapital that it lent Agora Microfinance Zambia (AMZ), an affiliate of UK-based Agora Microfinance Partners, local currency approximately equivalent to USD 687,000. AMZ offers loans and insurance services – including