ABOUT RAFAD

History

For more than twenty years, the RAFAD Foundation has applied its expertise to help local development by supporting the growth of grass-roots organizations and promoting economic activities for low income populations.
By creating novel financial instruments, the RAFAD Foundation has allowed these organizations to mobilize local financial resources in support of small and micro-businesses.

Some examples of its past actions are:

• Bolivia - The FINURAL study for setting up a guarantee fund.
• Bangladesh - Study for creation of credit funds and small NGO's.
• Chad, ASSAILD - Study of systems for credit and mutual savings.
• Madagascar, APEM - Set up a development fund based on debt repurchase by Northern donors, on behalf of APEM (a business promotion association).
• Switzerland, International Guarantee Fund (FIG), 1996 - Set up the cooperative association International Guarantee Fund in Geneva. The entire guarantee portfolio managed up to that time by RAFAD was transferred to FIG.
• Costa Rica, FOLADE - Creation of a regional guarantee fund.
• South Africa, The Thembani International Guarantee Fund (TFIG), 1997 - South Africa : The Thembani International Guarantee Fund (TFIG), 1997 - Study and setup of the TFIG in partnership with Share Interest (New York, USA). RAFAD is a member of the TFIG governing Board.
• Guatemala, FENACOAC, 2005 - Study and evaluation of the FENACOAC guarantee fund in Guatemala.