The Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation participates in the African Microfinance Week 2021

The 5th edition of the African Microfinance Week (AMW), dedicated to the development of financial inclusion in Africa, will take place from October 18 to 22, 2021 in Kigali, Rwanda, on the theme of resilience.

Organized by ADA Microfinance (Support for Autonomous Development) In Luxembourg, the main objective of SAM 2021 is to bring together the thoughts and commitments of the different categories of actors in the African inclusive finance sector. Conferences and training sessions are organized throughout the week to discuss strategies and actions to be taken to, on the one hand, strengthen the resilience capacities of financial services operators and beneficiary populations, and on the other hand, accelerate their progress towards the sustainable development goals.

The SAM Conference: “We are not born resilient, we become it: strengthening inclusive finance to overcome crises”

This conference will be held over two days and will be structured into plenary sessions.

It is in this context that Philippe Guichandut, Director of Inclusive Finance Development at the Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation, will speak during two sessions on "MFIs and the Covid-19 crisis in Africa: Survey results and lessons learned" as well as "Financing the inclusive finance sector in times of crisis: what role for investors and donors in strengthening the resilience of the sector?". On this occasion, Philippe Guichandut will share the experience of the Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation during the Covid-19 crisis and the results of the surveys carried out, in partnership with Inpulse And ADA, with their partner microfinance institutions.

Violette Cubier, technical assistance program manager at the Foundation, will speak at an experience-sharing session on financial innovations that promote the resilience of refugee populations.

Training and workshops

SAM 2021 also offers around twenty training courses on different themes: agricultural finance, digital finance, inclusive insurance, social performance, etc.

At the initiative of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation, a training session is being organized on the theme of financial inclusion for refugees and host communities.

Training on microinsurance will also be provided by the Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation, the International Labour Organization and the Micro Insurance Network.

Finally, Sébastien Simonot, Investment Officer at the Foundation, will speak at the workshop “Green and Inclusive Finance: Understanding and Addressing Client Vulnerabilities.” The training will provide participants with an overview of client needs assessment frameworks, data collection tools, and strategies for integrating inclusive green finance programs into their organizations.

The opportunity to meet its partners

On the occasion of SAM 2021, the Foundation will meet with its African partners, notably those involved in the African Facility's technical assistance program, developed since 2013 in partnership with the French Development Agency (AFD) and which will end on December 31 of this year. Meetings will be organized in advance of SAM 2021 and will allow all parties involved to take stock of this mechanism, which has helped strengthen some twenty microfinance institutions in sub-Saharan Africa, the Foundation's priority intervention area.

Discover the Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation's technical assistance programs here.