Credit enhancement
To facilitate lending, we can, in certain circumstances, offer partial guarantees to lenders for loans to micro-enterprises in our programmes. To facilitate borrowing, we train, assist and mentor micro-enterprises.
So far, we have helped 400 rural micro-enterprises to secure loans, which have been used to finance equipment purchases, inventory and extend end-user credit. We also train financial institutions to improve their knowledge of energy sector lending, renewable energy and rural business and thus encourage increased activity.
To date, our training programmes have served approximately 50 East African financial institutions.
Helping a stove entrepreneur acquire a loan
Our mentoring and training service helped an entrepreneur in Kenya to realise the full potential of her improved cookstove business. Armed with a robust marketing plan and a loan she has scaled up production, created jobs and doubled sales.