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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 April 2009 stands at 117 institutions. This includes 79 ordinary members (MFIs) and 39 associate members (Other institutions and individuals supporting micro finance activities).
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. |