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Last update : October 2007
The Organization
The Microfinance African Institutions Network (MAIN) is an international non
profit-making association established in 1995, in Abidjan by several
institutions with long experience in microfinance and/or promoting
micro-enterprises in Africa, including the Investment Society for Enterprise
Promotion in Madagascar (SIPEM), the Centenary Rural Development Bank of
Uganda (CERUDEB), the Ivorian Development and Investment Fund (FIDI)) of
Côte d’Ivoire, the Investment and International Development Society (SIDI)
of France, and IDM-Mauritania. At present MAIN counts 89 member institutions
in 29 countries from Africa, Middle East and Europe.
Mission
The mission of MAIN is to help reinforce the social and economic role of the
African microfinance institutions by initiating an African agenda for
microfinance promotion in the process of African overall development.
Objectives
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strengthening the operational capacities of the African microfinance institutions so that they can provide sustained and appropriate products and services to their clients,
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providing a forum of reflection and exchange to African microfinance institutions to understand better their environment and internalize the issues that influence their operations at national and international level and enable them to integrate their activities in the global development process.
Activities
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Communication: the objective is to facilitate and promote exchange of information in the microfinance sector on issues related to financing African small and micro-economic actors.
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Training: aims at strengthening the internal capacities of the micro-finance institutions. MAIN gives priority to group training, exchange visits and seminars.
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Research & Development: this approach calls for documentation of existing know-how and practices, and production of methodological materials.
Governance and Ethics
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The General Meeting composed of ordinary members, delegates of affiliate members and delegates of honorary members. It meets every two years and decides on the general orientation of the association.
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The Board of Directors is composed of a chairperson, a vice-chairperson, a treasurer and four members. It meets every six months to monitor the implementation of programmes and projects and decides on budgets. It controls the resources of the Association and appoints the executive director of the network.
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The Secretariat is responsible for the implementation of the objectives and strategies. The Executive Director develops programmes and activities in coordination with the member institutions, organises seminars, training workshops and exchange programmes. He publishes the network’s newsletter and mobilises the resources required to implement the activities.
He coordinates exchanges among members within the network and with non-members in Africa and elsewhere who are willing to promote the objectives of the association.
MAIN provides a well structured Capacity Building Programme:
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Thematic Training Workshops
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Training for MFI Executives and Board Members
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Thematic Seminars
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Exchange Visits
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University level training in collaboration with African Universities
Membership
African and Non African Institutions or organizations that provide financial
and/or technical assistance to African micro-economic operators can be
members of MAIN. Institutions that are willing to join the network are
required to fill in the application form. The board of directors in its
regular meeting decides admission. Members are required to pay a
registration fee of USD 500 or Euro 400 and an annual contribution of USD
500 or Euro 400.
