The Citigroup Foundation will once again support the 2011 Microentrepreneur Awards that is organised by AMFIU to promote the effective role that microfinance plays in poverty alleviation and the extraordinary contributions that individual microentrepreneurs have made to the economic stability of their families as well as their communities in Uganda.

The theme for this year is Entrepreneur Creativity & self sustainability. This is the 5th Citi Microentrepreneurs Award since 2006.

Microfinance institutions can send in applications for their two best clients who may also include a Woman or a person with disability taking into consideration the selection criteria that can be downloaded here.

Clearly provide a history or tracking of the client’s borrowing/saving, business growth, employment creation, sustainability, financial discipline, family impact and innovation/ creativity. Attach pictures/ photos for the entrepreneur’s business activity.

Forms can be downloaded from here

Meet Mr. Lukuta Simon Peter, Platinum winner 2010

The Association of Microfinance Institutions of Uganda (AMFIU) is an umbrella organisation of microfinance institutions (MFIs) in Uganda. AMFIU was founded in November 1996, through the collaboration of several organisations with interest in microfinance. The main reasons for its establishment were the felt need for MFIs to have a common voice; to lobby government for favourable policies; to share information and experiences; and to link up and network with both local and international actors.

AMFIU is a member-founded and member-owned institution.  Membership as of December 2010 stands at 122 members. This includes 86 ordinary members (MFIs) and 36 associate members (Other institutions and individuals supporting micro finance activities). Full directory can be downloaded from the members sections.

Ordinary membership comprises any legally constituted organisation, whose activities focus on the direct provision of financial services to the informal, micro or small-scale enterprise sector in Uganda. This includes formal sector banks, credit institutions, Microfinance Deposit-taking Institutions (MDIs), Non deposit taking MFIs and SACCOs. Associate membership comprises institutions that promote micro finance eg other apex insititutions, wholesalers of funds, regional network organisations, capacity building suppliers, such as consultants, private sector development centers (DPCs) etc. There is also a provision for individual associate membership for people carrying out activities directly or indirectly related to micro finance.

The following presentations were made during the Annual Micro-Finance conference:

Key note address
Micro Finance policy and regulation in Uganda, enhancing or hampering growth?
Interactive session by Alexander Forbes
Interactive session by Crystal Clear
Interactive session by Micro-Justice
Implementation of poverty scorecard, Experience from Brac Uganda
Social Perfomance for MFIs, Social Performance Task Force