Cordaid Investment Management has recently disbursed a new loan to Soluti Finance, a dedicated microfinance fund supporting microfinance institutions in Uganda, Tanzania and Kenya. CIM is reaching over 1.6 million entrepreneurs in East Africa each year by investing in wholesale lenders like Soluti Finance. By empowering microfinance institutions, agricultural co-operatives and producer organizations, Soluti improves the state of entrepreneurship and financial inclusion in Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania.
“We are happy to continue to support our long-standing partner Soluti during these difficult Covid-times with extra liquidity. With this new loan Soluti can provide further funding to their partners including the smaller MFIs for whom it is challenging to receive new funding in these challenging times,” says Jan Postmus, Senior Investment Manager at Cordaid Investment Management.
Operating for 27 years, Soluti has established a strong network of local partners. The majority of Soluti's investees are lower-tiered microfinance institutions with a rural focus and strong social performance, with 55% of borrowers being women and 24% youth. Furthermore, Soluti favours income-generating loans that help smallholder farmers and entrepreneurs to grow their businesses or catalyse the construction of affordable housing in the area.
By offering local currency loans Soluti gains a competitive advantage over many international lenders and has established a strong market position. Besides credit facilities, the company provides technical assistance to partner institutions to ensure increased outreach to the people in the East African region.
Cordaid Investment Management and Soluti have a long and fruitful partnership which is based on the alignment of both our missions to invest in growing businesses, creating jobs and improving the livelihoods of vulnerable populations of East Africa.