Menu
logo
عربي 简体中文 Français 日本語 Português Русский Español

Inclusion: Access to Finance and Services

Remzi Bala, a farmer from Kosovo, who received loans from KEP Trust, a leading microfinance institution in the country.
KEP Trust

 

Increasing access to finance and services will help countries in the region lower poverty, decrease inequality, and empower young entrepreneurs, including women. This would help foster sustainable and inclusive growth in the post-COVID-19 era. IFC is committed to developing the financial sector in Central and Eastern Europe, supporting lenders with capital and advice so that they can reach a greater number of borrowers, including small businesses. As part of these efforts, IFC helps foster the growth of digital financial services, a crucial tool for democratizing access to lending and other forms of financing.

 

Examples of What We Do:

  • In Kosovo, IFC established a risk-sharing facility with TEB Sh.A. bank to support smaller businesses, especially those owned by women and those in the agribusiness sector. 
  • In Ukraine, we helped small farmers get access to $1 billion worth of loans through crop receipts, an innovative financial instrument that allows farmers to maintain productivity and profitability.
  • In Armenia, IFC helped expand access to finance for MSMEs amid the pandemic by financing Inecobank and Evocabank.
  • In Albania, due to the successfully implemented public-private partnership project, we helped the health system deliver reliable, affordable, and timely laboratory results for doctors and patients across the country.