4.5M€
Wallet
Number of beneficiaries
%
Women beneficiaries
%
Rural beneficiaries
UNITED STATES
Financial services
Funding granted
Loan of € *
(local currency equivalent)
Partner of the Foundation
Since
*Outstanding at grant value
Context :
Global microfinance represents a $124 billion market serving 140 million low-income clients. Yet, 1.7 billion adults remain excluded from the formal financial system, particularly in developing countries and rural areas where the majority of people living in extreme poverty reside. These regions face challenges related to subsistence farming, climate change, and a lack of infrastructure. Social microfinance institutions are essential to bridging this gap and contributing to the Sustainable Development Goals.
The company:
VisionFund International is the microfinance network of World Vision, present in nearly 30 countries across four continents. This Christian organization is among the largest social microfinance networks in the world. It provides responsible financial services to entrepreneurs and small farmers in vulnerable communities, particularly in rural areas underserved by traditional financial services.
Impact :
VisionFund International aims to improve children's lives through financial services that empower families to build their livelihoods. Its network offers loans, savings, and micro-insurance tailored to local needs. The organization distinguishes itself through its approach that integrates financial services with community development programs. By primarily targeting women (701,300 clients) and rural areas, VisionFund contributes to poverty reduction and improved child well-being in the most vulnerable regions.
Foundation grants first loan to MLF Zambia
The Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation is continuing its investments in East Africa and has just granted a first local currency loan equivalent to €250,000 to the microfinance institution MicroLoan Foundation Zambia (MLF Zambia), over a period of three years. This loan is made as part of the program of the African Facility which aims to strengthen small institutions.
MLF Zambia is a microfinance institution established in 2008. Its activities are overseen by the Microloan Foundation, which is headquartered in the United Kingdom. MLF-Z's main activity is to provide low-income women living in predominantly rural areas of Zambia's Eastern, Southern, and Central Provinces with short-term loans of 4 to 6 months for productive purposes. The institution lends exclusively to women.
With this loan, the Foundation now has an outstanding amount of 36.4 million euros in the sub-Saharan African region, or 38% of the outstanding amount monitored by the Foundation.
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Created in 2008, under the joint leadership of Crédit Agricole SA's management and Professor Yunus, 2006 Nobel Peace Prize winner and founder of Grameen Bank, the Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation is a multi-sector operator that contributes to the fight against poverty through financial inclusion and social impact entrepreneurship. As an investor, lender, technical assistance coordinator and fund advisor, the Foundation supports microfinance institutions and social enterprises in 40 countries.
For more information on the organizations supported by the Foundation, Click here.