Who are we?
Kosovo Grameen Missione Arcobaleno Microcredit Fund is a replication Project of Grameen Bank, Bangladesh. It works in Kosovo as an international NGO. KGMAMF was established in 1999 with financial assistance of Missione Arcobaleno of Italy. Grameen Trust of Bangladesh is an implementing organization. At present KGMAMF is one of the leading Micro Finance institution in Kosovo. It covers 219 villages and 20 municipalities in Kosovo. 97% of the borrowers are women.
Objectives
To make credit facilities available to those who have been adversely affected by the war in Kosovo
To create self-employment
To engage the women in various income generating activities
To empower the women
To demonstrate that micro credit can play an important role in helping poor people, particularly women, to get back on their feet in a war ravaged economy
- To make credit facilities available to those who have been adversely affected by the war in Kosovo.
- To create self-employment.
- To engage the women’ in various income generating activities.
- To empower the women.
- To demonstrate that micro credit can play an important role in helping poor people, particularly women, to get back on their feet in a war ravaged economy.
- Poorest or low income victims of the war particularly who lost their homes and other assets.
- Who were displaced, unable to return to their homes and living as refugees.
- Social cases.
- Women whose family members were missing or whose husband were killed in war.
- Borrowers are organized into small groups of 5 women.
- Loan is considered as individual.
- Collateral is not required for the loans. It is given based on trust and solidarity among the group members.
- The borrowers choose their investment activity.
- Repayments are made by bi-weekly installment at their own village level center.
- Financial services to the village people doorstep.
- The economic and political situation is Kosovo was in turmoil when project was started
- The project began in very challenging circumstances
- Women and children were suffering both economically and emotionally from the traumatic conflict
- Houses and business were damaged
- Thousands of peoples were displaced
- The mountainous terrain of Kosovo was an additional obstacle.
- Land minds littered all over the region also posed a big threat to the population
- The security of the rural area was also questionable.
- Traditionally women were completely ignorant about running a business.
- By frequent field visit and motivational effort of the international staffs overcome all the challenges.
About Grameen Trust
Grameen Trust is committed to the cause of poverty alleviation. It uses microcredit as a tool for fighting poverty and follows Grameen Bank Approach for the purpose. It was established by Nobel Laureate Professor Muhammad Yunus in 1989. It is a non-profit and non-government organization.
- To support and promote Grameen type programs to reduce poverty.
- To provide training and technical assistance to national and international organizations to support GB replication initiatives.
- To organize and operate Grameen types micro credit institution around the world.
- To build an international network of concerned people and institutions working in the field of poverty alleviation and providing financial service to the poor.
- To promote and operate health and sanitations service for the benefit of the poor.
- At present GT give technical and financial assistance.
- At present GT give technical and financial assistance to 120 Projects in 68 countries.