The MFA is operating in the following main areas:
1. Capacity Building (CB)
2. Knowledge Management and Performance Mornitoring
- Performance Monitoring & Benchmarking (collection, processing and publishing of financial performance data from member MFIs on a half-yearly basis), including facilitating access to the MIX Market
- Dissemination of relevant information for the sector (through newsletter, homepage, Facebook, physical and virtual library, PR materials, e-mail)
- Participation in international events organized by networks of which the MFA is a member
- Member technical meetings (on a quarterly basis, with 1 to 2 microfinance focus topics per meeting)
- Information and guidance to potential (social) investors and linking up investors with member MFIs
- Conducting Social Audits of member MFIs using the CERISE SPI tool
- Researchs
3. Advocacy and Consumer Protection
- Exchange of information and documents and quarterly coordination meetings with BOL
- Provision of comments on regulatory and administrative documents and submission of position papers on important policy issues affecting the sector
- Development of a Code of Conduct for members MFIs (as an effort at self-regulation)
4. Support Village Banks/Funds
- Provision of Training service to Network Organization which supervision the village bank and village bank under the projects
5. Organization development
- Launched and accompanied process for obtaining its license as a NPA
- Designed institutional documents (By-laws, operations & staff manual, various procedures)
- Organized governance training and exposure visit for BOD members
- Acquired external funding (ADA, UNCDF, GIZ, Australian Aid-DFAT) to cover program and operational cost
- Secured funding for and recruited staff (Director, secretary, accountant, project assistant)
- Secured certification as “SPI social auditor”
- Provide technical services to the microfinance sector and micro-business
- Provide Trainings on Microfinance Management Certificate Course in the Lao PDR (MFMCC). The Course is composed of 8 modules: Basics of Microfinance, Compliance & Internal Control; MFI Management & Governance; Product Development; Credit & Delinquency Management; Business & Strategic Planning; Human Resource Management & Leadership and Financial & Social Performance Management.
- Provide Technical Assistant/Expert service and trainings on topics which related to microfinance and village bank, such as Human Resources Management and Effective Office Management, Leadership Development Skill and Workshop Facilitation
- Provide trainings on Financial Education and Micro-Business planning for member’s clients and others organization
- Coaching in writing Staff-, operating and others Microfinance handbooks
- Brokerage and organization of trainings/workshops/events
- Processing and benchmarking of MFI performance data and facilitating access to the Mix Market
- Dissemination of information, studies and good practices relevant for the sector (MFA Website, Newsletter, Email service, Member meetings)
- Translation of relevant documents and studies into Lao
- Organizing feedback sessions for MFIs regarding policies, regulations, guidelines, etc. prepared by the regulatory and supervisory authority (Advocacy)
- Information and guidance to potential (social) investors and facilitating and linking up investors with member MFIs
- Conducting social audits for MFIs (CERISE SPI tool)
MFA Services
MFA provides its services as consultancy and conducts trainings on varieties of topics such as: