About Vision Finance Company s.a – Rwanda

Established in 1999, Vision Finance Company (VFC) is an affiliate of World Vision International. Since its founding, VFC has been committed to alleviating poverty in Rwanda by ensuring that poor people have access to credit to support business initiatives that will improve their life circumstances.
Vision Finance Company’s mission is to promote economic empowerment and improve the standard of living of the Rwandan population through the provision of financial services to the working poor with an emphasis on women living in rural areas.

Our Lending Methodologies:

1. Community Banks
These loan circles create an opportunity for the poorest entrepreneurs to obtain credit. Self-selected groups of 10 - 30 borrowers agree to cross-guarantee each other’s loans. The group screens potential borrowers and tracks each repayment, building their leadership and sense of pride along the way. Loans typically range from US $ 20 - 394.
2. Solidarity Groups
Designed for more experienced entrepreneurs with larger enterprises, Solidarity Groups have fewer members than Community Banks, with an average of 5 members who guarantee each other’s loans. Members who make repayments on time become eligible for larger individual loans. Loan sizes range from US $175 - 890.
3. Individual Loans
Clients who have either grown their businesses successfully through a Solidarity Group or have medium-sized businesses qualify for individual loans ranging from US $890-7150. Loans typically require either two guarantors or collateral. Borrowers often create a multi-year business plan in consultation with their loan officer

Our Current Lending Products:
1. Urunana Product: poor clients, particularly women, without collateral or assets are targeted for access to credit. Group sizes vary from 3 – 20 or more.
2. Ubwizerane Product: experienced poor clientele are promoted to smaller groups and receive larger loan amounts.
3. Koramuhinzi Product*: agriculture loan product targeting individual rural farmers.
4.Inyongerabukungu Product*: targeted towards cooperatives of various sizes - primarily poor rural farmers.
5. Jyambere Product: entrepreneurs who possess collateral or presenting guarantors have access to loans.
6. Gubwaneza Product: low-level salaried people have access to loans through individual loan methodology based on standard credit processes.
7.Akarusho Product: also known as ‘asset-loan’ and ‘micro-leasing’, clients have opportunities to obtain/purchase equipments through loans.
8. Ngoboka Product: excellent clients have access to loans in the even of an emergency cash need situation.

* Vision Finance is among few financial institutions targeting farmers and providing agricultural credit options in Rwanda. This access to credit is critical for their ability to succeed and even exist as going concerns.

Our Savings Products:
1. Flexi Account: clients can save and make withdrawals many times as they want without penalties or fees.
2. Vosa Account: clients earn interest on their savings; withdrawal is once per week without penalties or fees.
3. FDA Account: this is fixed deposit account from 3 to 12 months, clients earn interest up to 7% per year.
4. Nyizera Product (Compulsory Savings): clients are required to save at least 10% to 20% of the amount borrowed in order to secure their loans.