Women Finance Limited (WFL) is a subsidiary of Foundation for Community Development Programs (FCDP) launched its operations in 2018 under the mother body but was separated and registered in June 2020 under the companies act. WFL is a company limited by shares, a Microcredit Agency registered by Reserve Bank of Malawi under the Financial Services Act and governed under the Microfinance Act of Malawi.
WFL was established under FCDP’s first strategic objective- ‘to reduce extreme poverty levels amongst women and vulnerable groups through provision of small-scale businesses and agricultural loan’. Its operations are focused on the provision of regulated innovative financial solutions targeted mainly at the vulnerable women of unbanked and under-banked sectors of the economy. It was established after observing an overwhelming need for financial services by people in the informal and marginalized communities who have never had an opportunity to enjoy banking services. These challenges and developments present an opportunity for WFL to provide both the technology and specially formulated products to enable financial opportunities to the unbanked and underbanked.
WFL provides its services mainly in the rural areas through existing self-formed groups, agricultural business networks such as cooperatives and associations. WFL has established 54 Village Savings and Loan Associations (VSLAs) in Mchinji and 38 VSLAs in Lilongwe with a total of 900 beneficiaries of its products. In the current business plan, WFL aims to reach out to 2 000 unbanked and underbanked women by December 2022.Wome Finance Targets the rural women. Currently it is operating in TA Zulu, Mlonyeni, Mabvwere in Mchinji District while in Lilongwe we have TA Masumbankhunda, Kalolo and Malili.
MISSION
Providing sustainable financing to low-income Malawians to up-scale their businesses through community savings and lending.
OBJECTIVES
To improve access of financial services to women and vulnerable groups through provision of businesses and agriculture loans.