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Background
Sanabel was established in 2002 and is the only regional network
serving the Arab region. The network advocates for growth, innovation,
best practices & standardization of the microfinance sector in Arab
countries.
Activity
Sanabel currently has 71 members from 12 different countries; namely,
Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Mauritania, Morocco, Palestine, Saudi Arabia,
Sudan, Syria, Tunisia and Yemen. By the end of 2008, Sanabel’s members
served more than 2.6 million borrowers, representing 83% of total outreach
in the Arab region. Members’ total gross loan portfolio is estimated at
USD 1.242 billion.
As evidenced by the low average loan balance amongst Sanabel members (USD
474 in 2008) and high outreach to female borrowers (62% in 2008), it could
well be said that Sanabel’s members are targeting the poorest of the poor
in the Arab region.
The network’s key activities are: training and capacity building (to which
a social performance management component has been introduced),
standardization and benchmarking (currently undertaken by the transparency
and research department), information dissemination and exchange (currently
undertaken through communications department, Arabic Microfinance Gateway,
and the Annual Conference).
