Organisation profile

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.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.

At present MAIN counts 89 member institutions in 29 countries from Africa, Middle East and Europe; African and Non African Institutions or organizations that provide financial and/or technical assistance to African micro-economic operators can be members of MAIN. Every two years, the General Meeting brings together ordinary members, delegates of affiliate members and delegates of honorary members to decide on the general orientation of the association. The MAIN also has a Board of Directors, which is composed of a chairperson, a vice-chairperson, a treasurer and four members who meet every six months to monitor the implementation of programmes and projects and decide on budgets. It controls the resources of the Association and appoints the Executive Director, whose role is to develop programs and activities in cooperation with the members, organise seminars, workshops and exchange programs, pubish the newsletter, mobilize resources, as well as coordinate all implied exchanges in Africa and beyond. The Secretariat is responsible for the implementation of the objectives and strategies.

MAIN Objectives:

* Communication:to facilitate and promote exchange of information in the microfinance sector on issues related to financing African small and micro-economic actors.
* Training: to strengthen the internal capacities of the micro-finance institutions. MAIN gives priority to group training, exchange visits and seminars.
* Research & Development: to document existing know-how and practices, and production of methodological materials.