The Grameen Credit Agricole Foundation, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) have joined forces to develop a programme for promoting access to credit for refugees and host communities. The Foundation has been selected to manage the technical assistance and support its partner MFI to develop an offer of products and services suited to refugee needs..
In Uganda, despite a structured refugee policy framework that tends to favor integration, job opportunities are limited. Approximately 1.5 million refugees currently live in the country and are concentrated mostly in rural areas where difficulties in access to employment and finance are even more significant. Within this context, the programme’s first study was carried out. Besides assessing the refugees’ financial needs, the study has also paved the way to set the most appropriate lines of action to address this challenge.
Refugee Financial Needs Report
OIT Social Finance Brief
In its new Brief, the ILO has documented the journey of few financial services providers (FSPs) working with refugees, among which The Uganda Agency for Development Limited (UGAFODE) that has opened a mini-branch in Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda. This project took place within the framework of a programme to foster financial inclusion of refugees launched by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and the Grameen Credit Agricole Foundation.