How AFAWA Works
Access to Finance
AFAWA works with financial institutions to increase their appetite for lending to women. AFAWA uses two mechanisms: the Bank’s investment instruments including lines of credit, trade finance and equity investments through which 30% is earmarked for lending to women small and medium-sized enterprises; and the AFAWA guarantee mechanism which de-risks the women portfolio, providing up to 75% loss coverage.
Technical Assistance
AFAWA works in close collaboration with financial institutions benefiting from access to these financial instruments, providing them with the tools and strategies to develop products and nonfinancial services that address the needs of women entrepreneurs to grow their client base.
Enabling Environment
AFAWA, in collaboration with regulatory bodies such as Ministries of Finance and Central Banks, works to ensure that national financial inclusion policies and reforms address the challenges of women entrepreneurs, ensuring increased economic growth. Furthermore, AFAWA works with women entrepreneurship enablers to enhance women SMEs’ finance and business management skills as well as increase their bankability, running a variety of special projects to develop women entrepreneurs across the continent.