RWANDA

UNCDF has been present in Rwanda since 1981, promoting community empowerment through infrastructure development and service delivery.

Today, UNCDF offers “last mile” finance models that unlock public and private resources, especially at the domestic level, to reduce poverty and support local economic development.

Through Financial Inclusion Practice, UNCDF is implementing MicroLead, a global initiative that works with variety of financial institutions developing, piloting and scaling deposit services for low income, rural populations, particularly women. MicroLead focuses on financial inclusion through savings mobilization and supports establishment of Equity Bank subsidiary in Rwanda and is currently supporting the consolidation of Umurenge SACCOS through the World Council of Credit Unions (WOCCU).

UNCDF’s establishment of YouthStart is improving access to financial services for low-income youth, with an emphasis on savings and financial education in Rwanda. Young people between the ages 12 - 24 are provided with the opportunities to manage their savings more effectively and receive financial literacy training through the YouthStart programme.

The Building an Inclusive Financial Sector in Rwanda (BIFSR) aims at supporting the development of sustainable, quality and diversified financial services that are accessible in rural and in urban areas in Rwanda and/or implementing national microfinance strategy in rural and urban areas.