AL AMANA: A loan to support a responsible microfinance model in Morocco

Al Amana is the leader in Morocco’s microfinance sector in terms of outstanding credit, the number of borrowers and the size of the network. It is also the pioneering microfinance institution in Morocco for the management of social performance: it was the first microfinance institution in the country to obtain SMART Campaign certification (January 2017). Al Amana operates in the form of a non-profit microcredit association and offers individual loans, solidarity loans and housing loans to people who have an income-generating activity and are unable to access traditional financing systems. It also offers non-financial services to support the development of microenterprises. In 2012, Al Amana diversified its products by integrating money transfers, microinsurance, deposit accounts and phone recharges. These services are provided via partnerships with local banks (Attijariwafa) and insurance companies (Saham), with Al Amana acting as an intermediary. 

EUR 3m senior loan to Al Amana to refinance its microcredit activity. The technical assistance in 2019 covers the regulatory changes in microfinance in Morocco and aims to help Al Amana develop a new activity: mesofinance. The objective is to allow the MFI to adapt the range of services it offers and gain a foothold in a new client segment: microenterprises and small businesses.

This project is part of the 2X Challenge initiative. This multi-stakeholder initiative aims to support projects that empower women as entrepreneurs, business leaders, employees and consumers of products and services, and increase their participation in the economy. 

This initiative thus contributes to Sustainable Development Goal #5 (Gender Equality).

This project contributes to delivering financial services that meet the needs of the majority of vulnerable populations, while improving the living standards of Moroccan people. Indeed, Al Amana supports the economic and social development of fragile populations excluded from traditional financing, particularly young people and women. It is also very active in rural areas and the most remote areas and thereby contributes to providing access to the banking system in the country. 

PROPARCO’s financing should allow over 7,800 additional people to access high-quality microfinance products and services.