Programs – MAIN

Description of INES Ruhengeri program

Description of UMU program

The Microfinance and Community Economic Development programme was initially launched in 2001in collaboration with MAIN and other partnering organization of the university. It is indeed one of a kind academic programme providing a practical understanding of sustainable microfinance and supplying the necessary tools to create and operate sustainable microfinance institutions and services in Africa. This comprehensive programme includes components of distance learning and residential that aims at providing knowledge and skills of development needed by those already working in microfinance and as well individuals seeking to enter or be engaged in the very same growing industry. During the past 20 years MAIN has organized 15 residential programs at the university and graduated a number of practitioners by awarding specialized Diploma on Microfinance and Community Economic Development.

Description of UCAC & UCAO program

This training is designed for francophone executives and is part of MAIN annual training program since 2006. This training is organized in partnership with the Catholic University of Central Africa (UCAC) in Yaoundé-Cameroun & the Catholic University of Togo in West Africa (UCAO) since 2012 in Togo.

These Masters programs are entitled “Management of Microfinance Institutions”. The objective of these programs is to train participants to conduct daily sound and efficient management of an MFI.It mainly aims to better equip managers of MFIs in the following areas: management, financial analysis, social performance, planning, governance, internal control, management of information systems, research methodology so that they can better meet the requirements of the sector that continues to grow.

Designed for two consecutive years, the UCAC training is organized in :
- a residential three-week session each year
- Online session through a e -Learning initiated by MAIN
- Six months of specialization and six months of research to produce a thesis before graduating

- The new Master program at UCAO lasts 2 years, divided into eight sessions of three weeks each.

Six residential sessions, six months for writing a thesis that will be presented by a participant.

THEMATIC TRAINING

These courses are spread over a period of 3 to 5 days. They bring together participants from the different countries or a sub-region around a specific theme. The topics are chosen according to the needs of members of the region or according to the problems faced by MFI at a specific period.

EXCHANGE VISITS

The organization of training based on exchanges between African is an activity to share experiences and reflections on the challenges facing the sector across the continent between members of MAIN.These cross exchanges between institutions allow participants to share their experiences in very specific areas among practitioners.

Objective

To implement financial and social transparency policies that take into account clients’ protection, information and financial education to enable MFIs to increase their number and financial health. Since 2018, MAIN has been implementing a program for the promotion and development of transparency with ADA following the MAIN-AMT merger. Transparency is an essential value that still has a long way to go in the African microfinance sector. To gain the trust of investors, customers and finance the development of their activities, microfinance institutions (MFIs) must engage transparency policies detailing their financial and social performance as well as the information they provide to their customers.

The Transparency program focuses on the following activities:

Information/awareness workshops on the topic of transparency
Training workshops in social performance management
Workshops on the Client Protection Principles (SMART Campaign)
Training workshops on the Factsheet MFI (Microfact) financial analysis tool
SPI4 social audit organization (CERISE)
SMART Certification organization
Designing, testing and implementing financial education models
Collecting, analyzing and publishing financial data

Financial transparency consists of the production and dissemination of the financial results of the MFI, the verification of these data, their analysis, comparison and assessment, and then the results monitoring by the regulatory authorities. Microfact's Factsheet MFI tool is recommended to facilitate transparent tracking of financial results. The social aspect of transparency is subject to a specific assessment on the implemented practices related to the Universal Social Performance Management Standardsestablished by the Social Performance Task Force (SPTF) that are fully included in the SPI4evaluation tool of CERISE. Finally, transparency to customers is part of the SMART Campaign'sTransparency Pact to its members. It is in this context that MAIN proposes the Pacte de Transparence.

Objectives

MAIN network offers its members to mark their commitment through a transparency pact, with the objective of promoting and developing transparency of microfinance institutions in Africa through the tools and good practices recognized by the microfinance sector. Through the pact, institutions commit to: - Sign and return the Transparency Charter - Implement the recommended transparency actions: sharing Factsheet and SPI4 - Be rewarded at theMAIN Transparency Award

Interests of the transparency pact

For the sector

Unite MFIs around a common commitment to transparency in the sector
Offer a set of basic best practices to implement
Encourage data sharing and facilitate its collection
Facilitate financial and social reporting on the newATLAS platform

For MAIN (and its member associations)

Make MAIN a competence center on transparency
Offering additional services to members
Encourage MFIs to implement their transparency policy with the support of MAIN
Encouraging new institutions to join the networ

For MFI members

Know and use the best practices recognized by the industry
Compare to other MFIs and target improvement priorities
Be visible to investors and highlight social performance
Be recognized for efforts in terms of transparency
Get the MAIN Transparency badge, a sign of willingness to be transparent
Facilitate financial and social reporting on the new ATLASplatform
Win a prize awarded by MAIN for the greatest transparency efforts

Methodology

MAIN members, with the support of MAIN, must engage and carry out transparency-related actions. MFIs will demonstrate their actions and progress with MAIN through various means as defined by the MAIN Transparency Awardcriteria. MAIN support MFIs’ evolution in transparency and facilitate reporting.

Signatories

Institution	Award	Country	Date
COOPEC TOGO PORT		Togo	13/09/2024
BANK AL-IBDAA		Mauritanie	17/05/2023
CAMUFE		Bénin	30/07/2021
COCEC Togo		Togo	09/04/2021
RCPB		Burkina Faso	07/04/2021
UCNEC		Mali	02/04/2021
MECI MFI		Togo	05/02/2021
ALAMANA MICROFINANCE		Maroc	11/03/2021
COOPEC AD		Togo	26/03/2021
SMICO		RDC	25/03/2021
UCEC MK		Tchad	30/03/2021
HARBU MFI SERVICE		Ethiopie	30/03/2021
COOPEC LA FRUCTUEUSE		Togo	31/03/2021
IMF HEKIMA		RDC	02/09/2020
ACFIME	Bronze	Burkina Faso	15/01/2020
PAIDEK SA		RDC	15/01/2020
ID GHANA	Bronze	Ghana	16/06/2020
FIGEC SA	Silver	Cameroun	21/01/2020
ASSILASSIME	Gold	Togo	21/01/2020
ATTADAMOUNE	Bronze	Maroc	21/01/2020
MODEC		Bénin	21/01/2020
CAPPED		Congo	30/01/2020
SIPEM	Bronze	Madagascar	06/02/2020
ISHAKA MICROFINANCE SA	Bronze	Burundi	06/02/2020
IAMD	Bronze	Bénin	12/02/2020
KAFO JIGINEW	Silver	Mali	17/02/2020
FINADEV BENIN		Bénin	14/01/2020
HOFOKAM		Ouganda	19/02/2020
MUFEC KARA	Bronze	Togo	31/01/2020
ENDA TAMWEEL	Bronze	Tunisie	22/01/2020
ABF		Burkina Faso	19/02/2020
UMECTO		Togo	19/02/2020
WISE	Bronze	Burundi	19/02/2020
MILLENIUM	Silver	Togo	27/01/2020
COSPEC		Burundi	20/02/2020
FINADEV GUINEE	Bronze	Guinée	20/02/2020
RIM Ltd	Gold	Rwanda	20/01/2020
PROMOFINANCE	Bronze	Togo	20/02/2020
BUUSAA GONOFAA		Ethiopie	21/02/2020
UCEC		Cameroun	24/02/2020
WAGES	Gold	Togo	25/02/2020
YIKRI		Burkina Faso	25/02/2020
CECA		Togo	21/02/2020
OTIV de la DIANA		Madagascar	27/02/2020
SOFINA S.A.		Cameroun	27/02/2020
URC Nazinon		Burkina Faso	27/02/2020
COOPEC-SIFA		Togo	27/02/2020
MUTUELLE AKWABA		Togo	28/02/2020
FADIMA SA		Burkina Faso	27/02/2020
FUCEC-TOGO	Silver	Togo	27/02/2020
MUFEDE-B	Bronze	Burkina Faso	24/02/2020
UMWALIMU SACCO		Rwanda	28/02/2020
COOPEC GUILGAL	Bronze	RDC	26/05/2020
URCLEC		Togo	27/02/2020
ASIENA		Burkina Faso	02/03/2020
VERDANT CAPITAL		Mauritius	27/02/2020
COOPEC ILEMA		Togo	07/03/2020
GRAINE SARL	Silver	Burkina Faso	20/03/2020
AFRICA FINANCES		Bénin	18/06/2020