COVID-19 Surveys: Better Understanding the Impact on MFIs and Their Clients to Better Act

In 2020, ADA developed a response program to help the sector overcome the crisis related to the COVID-19 pandemic. A total of 80 organizations, including 72 MFIs, five incubators and three networks, received grants to finance the purchase of health and IT equipment and technical assistance to ensure business continuity.

To better understand the impact of the pandemic on MFIs and their clients, ADA, in association with the Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation and Inpulse, launched waves of surveys to monitor and analyze the effects of the crisis among its partners in the field. In total, five waves of surveys were conducted in 2020 and one in 2021, with the information collected from 70 to 110 MFIs depending on the wave. Among the results highlighted, the least impacted MFIs have a significant agricultural and rural portfolio. On the other hand, the surveys also revealed a strong need to restart activities to enable clients to borrow again. To understand the reasons why clients were not repaying and to better manage their risks, MFIs re-emphasized on the importance of the "client-centric approach": the client must be at the heart of their decision-making.

More than a year after the first survey, ADA invites its partners to this online event to share the lessons learned from the results collected from clients and MFIs. The participants will have the opportunity to listen to the experience of Jacques Afetor, Director of Assilassimé, a MFI based in Togo, who participated in this initiative, and Eric Campos, Managing Director, Grameen Crédit Agricole Foundation & Corporate Social Responsibility Director, Crédit Agricole S.A., with the moderation of Laura Foschi, Executive Director of ADA. Bruno Dunkel, Chairman of Inpulse, will share the closing remarks with the audience.