The microfinance stakeholders recently met to discuss pertinent issues at the Microfinance and Savings Group Conference 2024 organized by the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (MoFPED) in collaboration with AMFIU and other stakeholders. The conference took place from the 17th to 18th July 2024 at Hotel Africana, Kampala, Uganda, under the theme “Leveraging collaborations, partnerships, and promoting a savings culture to foster social economic transformation.”
Over 800 participants attended the two-day conference, including government officials, policy makers, banks, microfinance institutions, international organizations, development agencies, researchers, and academia. The event aimed to bring together key stakeholders in the Microfinance and Savings Groups Ecosystems to discuss the development in the microfinance industry and explore new frontiers towards sustainable financial inclusion.
The first day of the conference focused on finding new ways for households and microfinance institutions to leverage digital financial inclusion, gender and social protection in finance, consumer protection and financial literacy, partnership and collaborations, and the role of the microfinance sector in climate financing. The second day highlighted best practices, success stories, and case studies from various institutions, including MFIs, SACCOs, Savings Groups, and representatives from government programs like PROFIRA, EMYOOGA, and PDM, as well as organizations such as Care International in Uganda, Plan International, and Caritas Uganda.
The conference built upon the commitments and recommendations of the previous conference held in November 2022, focusing on harmonizing development goals through purpose-based partnerships among leaders, pro-poor driven partners, and the government. The event served as a platform for stakeholders to collaborate, share knowledge, and work towards fostering social economic transformation through financial inclusion and sustainable practices in the microfinance sector.