MFI Report

UOB was created as a result of a merger in July 2007 between Urwego Community Banking, SA (Urwego), and Opportunity International Bank of Rwanda, SA (OIBR). Urwego was a leading microfinance Institution (MFI) in Rwanda founded by World Relief Rwanda in 1997 and from 2004 had been operating as an independent and regulated MFI in Rwanda with a nationwide presence. OIBR was established by Opportunity Transformation Investments (OTI), the investment arm of Opportunity International (OI). OI is an international microfinance network dedicated to the development of transformational, commercial microfinance banks in developing countries around the world. OI is a pioneer in the microfinance industry with over 33 years of experience, having developed 50 microfinance institutions in 25 countries of Africa, Latin America, Asia, and Europe. As the largest microfinance bank in Rwanda, UOB currently operates in 29 of the 30 districts in Rwanda, with about 30,000 borrowers and 22,000 savers. Although the client base has grown significantly in the recent years, the bank has still a long way to go to provide financial services to every under-privileged individual in a country with the population of 10 million, over 80% of which live in rural areas. We hope to continue expanding our product offerings and branch locations to better serve the economically-active poor in Rwanda with financial services and related training. Cacher