The 2024 edition of the Foundation's integrated report has just been published. Discover the highlights of the year:
As of December 31, 2024, the Foundation managed €82 million in assets for 67 microfinance institutions and 10 social enterprises in 36 countries. Women's entrepreneurship and the development of rural economies remain at the heart of our action: 75% of the 6.7 million beneficiaries are women, and 76% live in rural areas.
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French version below ⬇
Spanish version a continuation ⬇
How has the reduction in international aid impacted your work? Share your experiences, challenges, or adaptations
This survey is initiated by Grameen Crédit Agricole in partnership with CERISE+SPTF and the Financial Inclusion Equity Council (FIEC), two networks which bring together many field practitioners among their members.
It aims at assessing the impact on the financial inclusion sector of the downsizing and redefinition of international assistance following the USA and other countries' aid contribution shrinkage to development programs worldwide.
Even though inclusive finance is essentially based on self-sustainability, Financial Services Providers (FSPs) and many of their clients may rely directly or indirectly on aid-supported programs in the areas of economic stability, access to essential services in health, education, infrastructure and energy.
The survey will take 5 to 10 minutes of your time. You can answer it until August 18th. We will share the results with you by October 2025. Thank you for contributing!
International assistance[1] has been reduced since 2024 (source: OECD, June 2025) and even more dramatically following the USAID abrupt shutdown (from programs worth 120 bn USD in Jan 2025 down to 69 bn USD in May 2025 (source: NY Times, June 2025). “There is not a single area of development and humanitarian assistance USAID has not been involved in,” said Oxfam America's President and CEO Abby Maxman. Following this path, many countries are reducing their budget dedicated to foreign aid.
[1] International assistance is understood as aid, support, or resources provided by one country, international organization, or non-governmental entity to another country or population in need. often coordinated through multilateral organizations like the United Nations, the World Bank, or regional bodies, as well as through bilateral agreements between countries.
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How does the reduction in international aid impact your work? Share your experiences, challenges and adaptations.
This survey is being undertaken by Grameen Crédit Agricole in partnership with CERISE+SPTF and the Financial Inclusion Equity Council (FIEC), two networks that bring together many field actors among their members.
It aims to assess the impact on the financial inclusion sector of the reduction and redefinition of international aid following the decrease in the contribution of the United States and other countries to development programs around the world.
Although inclusive finance is essentially based on self-reliance, financial service providers (FSPs) and a large proportion of their clients and beneficiaries may depend directly or indirectly on aid-supported programs in the areas of economic stability, access to essential services in health, education, infrastructure and energy.
The survey will take 5 to 10 minutes of your time. You can complete it until August 18. We will share the results by October 2025. Thank you for your contribution!
International aid [1] has been reduced since 2024 (source: OECD, June 2025) and even more drastically following the abrupt cessation of USAID (falling from programs worth $120 billion in January 2025 to $69 billion in May 2025 (source: NY Times, June 2025). “There is not a single area of development and humanitarian assistance in which USAID has not been involved,” said Abby Maxman, President and CEO of Oxfam America. In this vein, many countries are cutting their foreign aid budgets.
[1] International aid is defined as assistance, support, or resources provided by a country, international organization, or non-governmental entity to another country or population in need. It is often coordinated by multilateral organizations such as the United Nations, the World Bank, or regional bodies, as well as bilateral agreements between countries.
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How has the reduction of the international industry impacted your work? Compare our experiences, disappointments and adaptations.
This investigation was initiated by Grameen Crédit Agricole in its association with CERISE+SPTF and the Financial Inclusion Equity Council (FIEC), which has many of its members joining us.
This objective is to evaluate the impact in the sector of financial inclusion of the reduction and redefinition of international assistance, through the reduction of the contribution of EE.UU. and other countries to download programs all over the world.
Not all inclusive finances are based primarily on self-sustainability, financial service providers (PSF) and many of our clients and beneficiaries may depend directly or indirectly on programs supported by the availability of economic stability or access to services. essential for access to health, education, infrastructure and energy.
The encuesta will take 5 to 10 minutes to wait. You can respond until 18 August. The results of the survey will be reported in October 2025. Thanks for your contribution!
International assistance [1] will be reduced from 2024 (source: OECD, June 2025) there is a more dramatic drop in USAID's program (from programs worth 120 million USD in energy from 2025 to 69 million USD in May 2025 (source: NY Times, June 2025). “There is only one area of relief and humanitarian assistance where USAID has not been involuted,” says Abby Maxman, President and CEO of Oxfam America. If you follow this trend, many of the landscapes are reduced on the assumption dedicated to the exterior door.
[1] International assistance is understood as the country, the support or the resources provided by a country, an international organization or a non-governmental entity in another country or necessary population, a menu coordinated through multilateral organizations such as the United Nations, and Banco Mundial and regional organizations, as well as bilateral contacts between countries.
At Grameen Agricultural Credit, we believe that local financial inclusion can and must be a powerful lever for social transformation. It is this strong commitment to sustainable impact that we wanted to illustrate through this video, which brings our mission to life in the field, alongside our partners who support women entrepreneurs and vulnerable populations.
Far from abstract discourse, this film immerses you in the daily lives of those who, thanks to tailored financial services, are improving their future. Because behind every professional project we support, there is a person, an ambition, a fight against economic and social inequality.
Our mission?
To promote women's empowerment through tailored financial services and by supporting female entrepreneurship, for, by and with women.
This involves deploying concrete, financial, technical, and comprehensive local solutions in developing regions to solve global problems by collaborating with actors rooted in the realities on the ground (personalized support, technical assistance, listening to local realities, capacity building).
We finance microfinance institutions and social enterprises so that they, in turn, can support women in their quest for economic independence. Together, we build sustainable, humane, and impactful solutions.
Because beyond the numbers, it is the stories, the journeys, and the successes that matter.
On April 23, 2024, Grameen Crédit Agricole organized a conference bringing together more than 130 participants at the Village by CA Paris.
The goal? To explore the links between financial inclusion, climate change, and the role of women.
Investors, NGOs, foundations and Crédit Agricole Group employees attended the event to discuss ways of working together. The event highlighted the key role played by women, particularly in developing countries, in responding to climate challenges such as access to drinking water, clean energy and sustainable agriculture.
Committed speakers shared their practical experiences:
All of them showed how financial inclusion can be a powerful lever for strengthening the resilience of the most vulnerable communities.
This highlight was also marked by the presentation of the Women Empowerment for Climate fund, an investment tool designed to support projects led by women in sectors affected by climate change.
Finally, actress and director Aïssa Maïga gave a deeply moving testimony that touched the audience. In a discussion led by Veronique Faujour, Managing Director of Grameen Crédit Agricole and Secretary General of Crédit Agricole SA, she highlighted the real consequences of climate change on emerging countries.
Philippe Guichandut recently spoke at the Uniglobal Conference on March 13-14, 2025, an international event bringing together major players in inclusive finance in Berlin. At this year's conference, he shared his expertise on key issues for Grameen Agricultural Credit.
As part of a presentation on financial inclusion for refugees, Philippe highlighted initiatives in Uganda, emphasizing the importance of strategic partnerships in meeting the specific needs of this vulnerable population. He also addressed the challenges associated with country risks in unstable contexts such as Myanmar, Mali, Burkina Faso, Palestine, and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Among the innovative solutions presented, the guarantee scheme run by DAMAN in Palestine, supported by SIDI, illustrated the adaptability and resilience of microfinance actors.
This participation was an opportunity to reaffirm Grameen Crédit Agricole's commitment to inclusive, sustainable and solidarity-based finance for the most vulnerable populations.
The FIR Fund (Inclusive Finance in Rural areas) was created in 2018 by the Foundation to provide entities of the Crédit Agricole Group with a dedicated fund for inclusive finance worldwide. From the start, 21* Regional Banks took part, along with Amundi and Crédit Agricole Assurances, in financing 8 rural microfinance institutions operating in 8 countries across Sub-Saharan Africa, Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and Southeast Asia.
In 2023, the FIR Fund increased its investments to finance micro-entrepreneurs. Seven new loans were granted to MFIs, enabling the fund to reach a strong asset deployment rate of 80%. As of December 31, 2023, the total outstanding loan portfolio stood at €8,350,000, representing 80% of the fund's deployed assets. These microfinance institutions in turn finance micro-entrepreneurs, 67% of whom are women, 75% located in rural areas, and 37% are farmers.
By the end of December 2023, the FIR Fund was supporting 8 microfinance institutions: Mikra in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Lazika in Georgia, Asian Credit Fund in Kazakhstan, Oxus in Kyrgyzstan, Prima Finantare in Moldova, Furuz in Tajikistan, AMZ in Zambia, and Pahal in India.
Solidarity Bankers is a skills volunteering program launched in 2018 by Grameen Agricultural Credit and open to all Crédit Agricole Group employees. It invites professionals from various Group entities to work for several weeks, alone or in groups, in support of microfinance institutions and impact enterprises supported by the Foundation.
Beyond the usefulness of their missions for their beneficiaries, the Solidarity Bankers evoke three-way positive effects for Crédit Agricole and the volunteers as well.
Anne Duval, HR Performance and Organization Leader, CA-TS, Delphine Testemale, Talent Careers and Diversity Manager, Crédit Agricole Centre Est, François Galland, retired from Crédit Agricole SA and back from Benign, and Penelope Cellier, Audit Manager – General Inspection, CACEIS, and Thierry Boîte, Development Director, LCL, after their mission in Togo shared their experiences.
Since 2018, there is no doubt that the missions carried out by the Group's employees have met the expectations and needs of the beneficiaries. More than 70 missions have been carried out by more than 60 Solidarity Bankers for the benefit of 45 partners in 24 countries. More than 750 active contacts within the group, eligible for skills-based sponsorship, have also been identified, particularly through the J'agis platform since 2023.
For the Solidarity Bankers, as Penelope Cellier explains, a mission involves much more than just discovering the country, the workings and the culture of a microfinance institution and the people who run it locally. A personal contribution “far beyond my expectations”, emphasizes Thierry Boite.
Whether the mission is related to human resources, compliance or any other area of expertise, it is essential for a socially responsible banker to have a broad range of skills related to the theme of the mission, says François Galland, in order to be able to use them and benefit from them in a completely different context.
“Initially, I didn't necessarily expect the mission to challenge me on my own daily practices and attitudes. Once I got there, I was surprised: the mission offered me concrete lessons on how to work with people from very different cultures and backgrounds. It was an enriching experience that now helps me do my job better,” says Delphine Testemale.
All are convinced that this produces a kind of mirror effect that contributes to their personal development, which they then pass on to their teams when they return.
And this is all the more true as the preparatory work can be very comprehensive and time-consuming, encouraging people to take a step back, reflect and even innovate.
These missions create very strong human bonds that last both professionally and personally. Anne Duval, who completed her second mission, maintains relationships with the people she met in Senegal and Benin. In particular, she plans to return to Benin to see them again and is currently organizing a clothing drive for the children.
“We were welcomed with open arms. Carrying out missions like these enables us to establish strong human relationships, authentic communication and real sharing, including on a personal level,” explains Anne Duval.
In many ways, these missions serve the Crédit Agricole Group's purpose and are part of its Human and Societal Projects. Usefulness, inclusion, innovation and personal development can easily be associated with them. Their added value is not limited to the beneficiaries alone but also serves the Banquiers Solidaires, more indirectly their teams and stakeholders, but also the image of Crédit Agricole and even, according to Thierry Boite, “its influence”.
