Access to Mainstream Microfinance Services for Persons with Disabilities: Lessons Learned from Uganda
This paper reports findings from a pilot project in Uganda that aimed to enable persons with disabilities to have access to mainstream microfinance services. The National Union of Disabled Persons of Uganda (NUDIPU) joined forces with the Association of Microfinance Institutions of Uganda (AMFIU) for this initiative. The Norwegian Association of the Disabled provided technical assistance and finance. The two main strategies that the project used to increase outreach of sustainable mainstream microfinance services to persons with disabilities were:
- Increasing awareness among MFIs about how to include persons with disabilities in their services;
- Creating awareness among persons with disabilities and their organizations about the pros and cons of microfinance.
The project trained a total of 1,603 people during 2006 and 2007. It demonstrated that barriers hindering the mainstreaming of entrepreneurial persons with disabilities into MFIs can be addressed and removed. Important barriers that must be addressed are exclusion because of low self-esteem and exclusion by MFI staff and management.
