Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP) recently reported the Uganda Financial Trust Ltd. (UFT) received two loan investments of USD 590,000 each on January 1, 2008 from Triodos-Doen, a partnership between Triodos Bank of Holland and the Doen Foundation, and Hivos-Triodos Fund, a Triodos Bank partnership with the Humanist Institute for Cooperation with Developing Countries (Hivos).
Established in 1984, the Uganda Financial Trust Ltd. (formerly Uganda Woman’s Financial Trust) provides several microfinance services including loans, savings, and insurance. UFT focuses on outreach to women, making up seventy percent of their customers. With total assets exceeding USD 13 million and over ninety thousand customers being served, they make a significant contribution to Uganda’s microfinance sector. Currently, the microfinance institution is in the process of transformation into a regulated microfinance deposit-taking institution (MDI).
Formed in 1994, the Triodos-Doen Foundation invests in microfinance institutions in the form of loans and equity investments. With a portfolio of USD 60.7 million as of June, 2007, they support the growth of the microfinance sector on a global scale. They have also invested in Uganda Microfinance Ltd.
The Hivos-Triodos Fund was also established in 1994, encouraging and facilitating Triodos Bank’s clients to become involved in global microfinance activities by investing through special savings accounts. Their portfolio is at USD 51.5 million, with current investments in seven Ugandan microfinance institutions.
By Melissa Duscha
Additional Resources:
Consultative Group to Assist the Poor (CGAP)
Humanist Institute for Cooperation with Developing Countries
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