The Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation is proud to be a signatory of the Cerise + SPTF Client Protection Pathway. This path guides financial service providers in implementing client protection standards, which are essential consumer protection practices in terms of product design and delivery, over-indebtedness prevention, transparency, responsible pricing, fair and respectful treatment of clients, client data confidentiality, and complaint resolution mechanisms.

The Customer Protection Pathway is a tool developed by CHERRY* and the Social Performance Task Force (SPTF)** to help financial services providers engage, make progress and ensure customer protection standards.

Edouard Sers, Head of Risk, Compliance, and Impact at the Foundation, expressed his enthusiasm for the launch of the Client Protection Journey: “When the Smart Campaign closed last year, I was worried that the industry would lose focus on client protection. As a partner of 76 MFIs in Sub-Saharan Africa, Southeast Asia, South Asia, Eastern Europe, and Central Asia, the Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation pays close attention to their practices during each due diligence and stands ready to support them on their journey to excellence in client protection, through financing and technical assistance. I am delighted that CERISE and the SPTF are taking on this important role in our industry.”

Only collectively can we ensure the stability of the sector, especially in these times of climate change and pandemic. The Foundation therefore strongly encourages its partners to prioritize customer protection and join this important initiative.

Download the Joint Declaration

*CERISE is an association created in 1998 that promotes responsible, inclusive and ethical finance and works with various stakeholders in the sector to co-create social standards tools and social assessment tools that are free and accessible to all.

**SPTF is a non-profit organization that seeks to develop and promote standards and best practices for social performance management to make financial services safer for customers.

©GODONG

Solidarity Bankers is a skills volunteering program launched by the Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation and Crédit Agricole SA in 2018 with a dual objective: on the one hand, to support microfinance institutions and impact businesses financed by the Foundation with technical assistance, and on the other hand, to promote the skills of Group employees who wish to get involved in socially useful projects.

The missions can take place during the Solidarity Banker's working hours (skills sponsorship) AND/OR during holidays (volunteering).

Currently, two “Digital Strategy” missions are available in the field or remotely:

• Field mission in favor of Smart Credit (Moldova)

Smart Credit is a microfinance institution founded in 2010 by five local professionals with a shared vision: to provide financial services to socially disadvantaged people and small Moldovan entrepreneurs. The institution has over 3,000 active borrowers and manages a portfolio of €4.4 million.

The selected Solidarity Banker will be responsible for assessing the institution's digital strategy and contributing to its development. Experience in IT project management and fluency in English are required.

For more information, see the mission sheet on ca-solidaires.fr.

• Field or remote mission for OXUS (Kyrgyzstan)

OXUS Kyrgyzstan (OKG) is a microfinance institution that provides financial services to the working poor and underbanked in Kyrgyzstan. The institution serves 8,000 active borrowers and manages a portfolio of €6.4 million.

The selected Solidarity Banker will be responsible for supporting OKG in evaluating digitalization processes and developing a new digital strategy, including a detailed action plan. Experience in IT project management, ideally with digitalization projects, is required. Fluency in English is required; knowledge of Russian would be a plus.

For more information, see the mission sheet on ca-solidaires.fr.

To apply, send your CV and cover letter (or 2 paragraphs outlining your motivations) to:

• Cécile DELHOMME, Communications and Partnerships Manager: cecile.delhomme@credit-agricole-sa.fr
• Violette CUBIER, Technical Assistance Manager: violette.cubier@credit-agricole-sa.fr

© Didier Gentilhomme

The African Facility is a mechanism set up in 2013 by the Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation, in partnership with theFrench Development Agency (AFD), to support rural microfinance institutions in sub-Saharan Africa.

A look back at this program through the testimony of Eléonore Marie Céline Compaore-Gyebre, Manager of GRAINE SARL.

Founded in 2006, the Burkinabe microfinance institution GRAINE SARL (Investment and Savings Support Group) is a Tier 3 organization (credit portfolio < 10 million USD). At the end of December 2020, GRAINE SARL offered group and individual credit products to 17,926 clients, mainly women (75%), living in rural areas (66%), for an outstanding credit of €4.9 million.

As part of the African Facility technical assistance program, GRAINE SARL received support throughout its digital transformation process. Consultant Thomas Carrié assisted the institution with the implementation of new integrated cloud-based information management software, secure data migration, and user training.

Why was the implementation of a new Information and Management System (MIS) important for GRAINE SARL?

By 2018, we had reached a level of growth that required more powerful information management software than the one we were using. Consolidating data and producing reporting had become unachievable within the required timeframe. In addition, given the extent of the network (6 branches and 29 service points), we wanted to develop innovative financial products to better meet customer needs and improve our profitability. The acquisition of new integrated software allowed us to interconnect all the counters as well as the head office. This tool allowed us to have a consolidated view of the information collected in the field in real time, to make data collection more reliable, to secure it and to develop new products.

What did you expect from the consultant? Did the results meet your expectations?

Beyond the acquisition of this new software, we needed someone with a deep understanding of the microfinance sector and the issues surrounding digitalization. Thomas Carrié, working with Yempabou Samuel Nidjergou, based in Ouagadougou, provided excellent support, from defining our needs to configuring and deploying the software. They then helped us manage data migration and user training, all while respecting the deadlines! We are very satisfied with the service, both in terms of the consultants' expertise and interpersonal skills.

What is your assessment of this mission and what could have been the areas for improvement?

Previously, each counter operated in a non-centralized manner, and the GIS was cumbersome. Since everything was manual, verification was difficult and the risk of error high. Furthermore, monitoring and maintaining all the servers was expensive. Centralizing data using the new cloud-based GIS allows us to monitor the status of operations on a daily basis and guarantee the security and reliability of the information collected. The GIS has thus saved us time, money, and security. We are now completely satisfied with it, even if updates are sometimes faulty due to power outages or poor internet connectivity in the country.

Have you improved customer satisfaction or developed new products or services using GIS?

The reliability of the information is now optimal, and we obtain 90% of customer satisfaction. The new GIS has allowed us to offer new local services such as the digitalization of tontine collection (daily savings collection).), the establishment of the SMS Banking[1] and the ability to make credit disbursements or savings deposits regardless of the service point. We want to strengthen the digitalization of information collection. To this end, we will equip our agents with digital tablets so that they can record all information concerning potential customers in the field.

[1] THE SMS Banking is a form of Mobile Banking allowing MFIs to send messages to their clients' mobile phones. This service also allows clients to carry out certain operations via SMS (for example: making a savings deposit or withdrawal).

© Didier Gentilhomme

Since 2019, the Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation, Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (AIDS) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) join forces to support refugee populations in Uganda.

The Foundation has been selected by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida) and the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to design and coordinate an innovative program aimed at improving the livelihoods, resilience and financial inclusion of refugees and host communities in Uganda.

Hanadi Tutunji, Financial Inclusion Officer at the UNHCR, looks back on this four-year joint program.

How is financial inclusion a sustainable solution for refugees in Uganda?

Uganda hosts approximately 1.5 million refugees and asylum seekers, making it the largest host country in Africa and the third largest in the world. It has one of the most progressive refugee policies in the world and is a leading country in implementing the Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework (CRRF) and the Global Compact on Refugees (GCR). In Uganda, refugees live in settlements close to host communities and have access to the same national public services, including health, education, water, livelihoods, and sanitation. Refugees also have freedom of movement, the right to work, and have been included in the country's National Development Plan III.

A large majority of the refugees (94%) live in 13 settlements located in the southwest and north of the country. The remaining 6% live in urban areas near Kampala. Despite Uganda's progressive and inclusive policies, the poverty rate among refugees is nearly twice that of host communities, creating challenges for peaceful coexistence and security issues, particularly for women, girls, and people with special needs.

In 2020, the World Food Programme reduced food rations for refugee populations by 301,000 people due to a lack of funding. The impact of this reduction in food rations was compounded by the COVID-19 crisis and the nationwide lockdown. As a result of the lockdown, 131,000 refugees were forced to stop working (especially those living in urban areas), further increasing their food and financial insecurity.

Durable solutions must therefore be found to address the humanitarian and development challenges facing Uganda, particularly given the large number of refugees in protracted displacement.

Financial inclusion helps increase refugees' access to financial systems, expand economic activity, and promote microenterprises and self-employment. Financial and non-financial services offered to refugees help them sustainably meet their needs. It is therefore important to engage with and facilitate the private sector to develop and deliver tailored financial services to refugees, including access to savings, loans, insurance, and remittances.

Can you explain the specifics of the program?

The program aims to improve access to credit for refugees and their host communities so they can develop income-generating activities. The program's ultimate goal is to improve the resilience of approximately 100,000 households among these populations.

This program, which leverages mixed financing (public and private capital), includes three components: a lenders' guarantee fund, debt financing for three microfinance institutions (MFIs) and technical assistance for MFIs and refugees.

UNHCR shares socioeconomic data, facilitates access to refugees, trains MFI staff on refugee needs and protection, and monitors refugees' participation in financial and business training. The Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation, with financial support from Sida, provides the technical assistance component of the program, which aims to provide refugees with non-financial services, such as business training and financial education. Technical assistance also helps cover some of the initial set-up costs incurred by MFIs to expand their lending operations to refugees.

Thanks to the program, MFIs were able to open new branches in the districts of Moyo (Parlorinya settlement), Yumbe (Bidibidi settlement), and Isingiro (Nakivale settlement), where many refugees live. As of the end of March 2021, 14,777 loans had been granted by the MFIs benefiting from the program, including 6,423 loans (44%) to refugee populations. 19,294 people had also benefited from training. Since the program targets both refugees and their host communities, it facilitates links between communities, thus promoting their peaceful coexistence.

What are UNHCR's priorities and perspectives for financial inclusion worldwide?

Refugees' financial needs evolve over time, ranging from financing survival means at the time of arrival to more comprehensive services such as savings, payments and credit at a later stage.

Financial inclusion represents a stepping stone from humanitarian assistance to sustainable business development. UNHCR ensures that refugees and vulnerable people in host communities have access to affordable and appropriate financial services, and that responsible financial service providers deliver these services.

To strengthen financial inclusion, UNHCR aims to expand its partnerships in the future, continue to support and motivate its partners to provide sustainable services to refugees, and support them in their advocacy efforts to improve the regulatory framework.

© Didier Gentilhomme (Benin)

The Foundation for Agriculture and Rurality in the World (FARM) is a recognized public utility foundation, whose mission is to promote efficient agriculture and agrifood sectors that respect producers, consumers and the environment, particularly in countries of the South.

At the interface between action and research, FARM fuels debates between decision-makers and development actors through the publication of studies, the organization of events and its contribution to pilot projects.

The agricultural sector in Africa, and particularly in sub-Saharan Africa, has also been a central focus of the Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation's work since 2008. We invite you to discover the latest articles published by Jean-Christophe Debar, consultant for FARM, on the financing of agricultural policies and the food dependency of the African continent.

• In Africa, a narrow path for financing agricultural policies

The vast majority of governments in sub-Saharan Africa are struggling to meet the commitment made in Malabo in 2014: to devote at least 10 billion of their budgets to agriculture. The economic crisis and rising debt levels due to Covid-19 are making it even more difficult to support the agricultural sector, which is a major challenge in terms of food security, combating deforestation, and adapting to climate change.

• Africa's Food Dependence: Between Concern and Alarmism

Contrary to popular belief, sub-Saharan Africa's reliance on food imports is relatively modest: around 15 to 20 percent of consumption, depending on the country. However, Africa may need to rely more on global markets due to soaring demand driven by population growth, the negative impact of climate change on yields, and the need to combat deforestation.

A founding member of FARM, the Crédit Agricole Group is now increasing its financial support to enable it to expand its scope of study, broaden its scope of intervention, and strengthen its methods of action. The Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation is also involved in this new FARM development plan by implementing resource synergies and joint forward-looking discussions starting in 2021.

Discover the entire FARM blog