The Association of microfinance Association of Uganda has been trying to bring MFIs back to the drawing board by encouraging them to become socially accountable and relevant to their clients through social performance management (SPM). SPM is about making an organization's social mission a reality. It involves taking the steps to deliberately manage and achieve desired social results. AMFIU has been creating awareness and promoting social performance management among its members and the microfinance industry in Uganda and has had a positive response from the practitioners on this issue.

It is in this regard that AMFIU organized an award ceremony to recognize microfinance institutions that have made an effort in introducing and implementing SPM in their organizations. The award ceremony took take place on 27th September 2011 at Serena Hotel and BRAC Uganda emerged the overall Gold Winner.

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Outreach of Microfinance from urban and semi-urban to rural and remote areas of Uganda is the most contentious issue of industry. At the first IIE of 2007, two very different presentations were given, yet they tackle the same theme: Outreach of Microfinance. The first presentation took the avenue of technology. SEVAK solutions is a company with the mission to apply the opportunities of modern Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to Microfinance consumers.

ICT-based payment systems, SEVAK-founder Laura Frederick explained, are an infrastructure. Infrastructure is very costly, yet mostly "non-rival", i. e. once in place, it can be used by many. Microfinance Service Providers should not compete on infrastructure, because they can't win and will in the end even harm the consumer. Rather, MFIs should collaborate on infrastructure and concentrate competition on services.

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The Capacity Building SEEP/AMFIU Grant

In a continued effort to develop and expand a professional human resource base in the microfinance industry, AMFIU in partnership with the SEEP Network secured a grant to sponsor microfinance senior and middle level managers (AMFIU members only) on a cost-sharing Scholarship basis for a diploma in microfinance. The aim of the scholarship is to build a mass of qualified professionals to run the microfinance industry. This year, the sponsorship will be given to 15- 20 students on a first come 1st serve basis. The sponsorship will cover only 50% of the tuition either at MUBS, MCC-UIB or any other university that has a microfinance academic programme that runs for one year. The rest of the tuition should be an internal arrangement between the institution and the candidate.

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