Nepal micro-financiers keen to emulate Lankan model
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Chairman Berendina, Anura Athapattu explains the BMI’s EDS model to Nepalese heads of MFIs and enterprise development organizations.
The Sakchyam Access to Finance for the Poor Programme (Sakchyam) in Nepal recently invited a Sri Lankan team from Berendina Microfinance Institute (Gte) Ltd (BMI) to conduct a feasibility study to replicate or adopt the Enterprise Development Services (EDS) model being implemented by the Berendina Group in Sri Lanka.
Berendina Group Chairman Anura Athapattu and Berendina’s Enterprise Development Manager Rajesh Kanna were involved in the feasibility study conducted in Chitalang, Gulariya and Pyuthan in rural parts of Nepal on March 20 t0 24, according to a Beredina media release.
“At the workshop held with microfinance institutions (MFIs) and enterprise development practitioners, it was observed that they were keen to replicate the model while Sakchyam offered all their partner MFIs a grant funding to cover replication of the BMI – EDS model,” Mr. Athapattu said.
The BMI operation has supported thousands of families in Sri Lanka enhance income levels by implementing a unique “credit plus approach”. This is where credit is provided to individuals in the poorest strata of the society along with several other tied-up training services in a financially sustainable manner. As result of this, BMI was called upon to interact with MFIs in Nepal to explore the feasibility of emulating the model to develop and support micro and small level enterprises in that country.
BMI, a non-governmental-organization is one of Sri Lanka’s top microfinance service providers and has a client base of over 100,000 persons spread across the remotest parts of Sri Lanka.
Sakchyam is an initiative funded by UKaid as part of an agreement between the Governments of Nepal and the UK. It is implemented by Louis Berger for the Department for International Development (DFID Nepal) in partnership with local and international institutions.