Who We Are
The Lebanese Association for Development – Al Majmoua, an independent, apolitical, not for profit Lebanese Non Governmental Organization (NGO), is currently the leading microcredit institutions in Lebanon in terms of clients served.
Al Majmoua was established in 1994 by Save the Children–USA as a program with a mandate to provide sustainable financial services to low-income women micro entrepreneurs in urban and rural areas of Lebanon. In 1998, the program spun off from Save the Children to become an independent local NGO. 

 Where We Work

Al Majmoua is active across Lebanon, including the Palestinian Camps, through a network of 15 offices. The branches allow Al Majmoua to be present in the communities it serves and remain tuned in to the particular needs of the micro-entrepreneurs. Al Majmoua’s team is made of 180 highly motivated, skilled, dedicated full-time staff. Loan officers are recruited from the local community since social networks and an extensive knowledge of respective areas of operation are essential in our work.

How We Work

Al Majmoua's core business is to provide "micro" loans to individuals who have limited or no access to formal lending channels. To ensure a stable and regular source of income for their families, micro-entrepreneurs are keen to invest in and develop sustainable businesses. With limited assets and no guarantees, they find difficulties accessing commercial banking services. They turn to Al Majmoua, a reliable partner whose goal is to render access to financial services a right and not a luxury. Al Majmoua's goal is to improve the quality of life of the most disadvantaged, regardless of their religion, nationality, gender or political affiliation by providing them with the appropriate financial and non-financial tools to make their way out of poverty.

Al Majmoua views development in a holistic approach. Micro-credit alone may not be sufficient to sustain a small business. Non- financial services, particularly Business Development Services, play a complementary role in improving the quality of life of the most vulnerable, especially women entrepreneurs. Al Majmoua provides business management and financial education trainings, vocational trainings, individual diagnosis, marketing support, networking, exchange of experience, and awareness sessions including women's economic rights, self-confidence, communication skills, and household budget management. These free-of-charge non-financial services are offered to both borrowers and non-borrowers after a thorough individual needs appraisal based on a voluntary approach and the identification of either opportunity for development or business weaknesses.

Where We Are Now

It is essential for Al Majmoua to ensure the sustainability of the institution, maintain a long-term commitment, serve as many working poor as possible with a focus on women, and contribute to national welfare through the promotion of sustainable and equitable development. The institution's activities have a tangible impact in changing the lives of a large number of beneficiaries. Changes observed are not only related to economic variables, such as increased in revenue or improvedsustainability of a client’s business; they also relate to social changes, such as women's economic empowerment or general improvement of the clients’ living conditions.

As of June 30, 2011, Al Majmoua had 25,280 active beneficiaries, including 10,952 women, for a total outstanding portfolio of USD 20,868,232.

Our Products

1. Group Loan

• Loan Size: USD $200-$2,000
• Loan Description: Targeting women entrepreneurs in rural areas. No collateral for the group loan is required; the group solidarity is considered a guarantee.
• Loan Term: 6 to 12 months
• Size of the Portfolio: 12%

2. Micro-Entrepreneur Loan

• Loan Size: USD 300 to USD 5,000
• Loan Description: Offered to both men and women. This loan targets existing micro businesses and in few cases starts-ups.   In underprivileged areas in the South of Lebanon, these loans are disbursed in Lebanese Pounds as well.
• Size of the Portfolio: 57%

3. Worker Loan

• Loan Size: USD 300-3,000
• Loan Description: This loan targets both men and women specifically people who are employed and who are either not registered in the NSSF (National Social Security Fund) or whose salary is lower than the required minimum to receive a loan from a bank.
• Size of the Portfolio: 26%

 
4. SME Loan (Small and Medium Enterprises)

• Loan Size: USD 5,000 – USD 15,000
• Loan Description: Targeting existing micro businesses specifically to borrowers who have taken more loans for a minimum of 2 cycles.
• Size of the Portfolio: 2%

5. Housing Improvement Loan

• Loan Size: USD 500-5,000
• Loan Description: This product is offered in partnership with “Habitat for Humanity”.  Al Majmoua manages the client selection, the loan disbursement and follow-up, while Habitat provides an engineer who advises clients on the particulars of their home improvement needs. The loan is directed to low income individuals who wish to fix or improve their house.
• Size of the Portfolio: 1%

6. ICT Loan (Information and Communication Technology)

• Loan Size: USD 500 to USD 10,000
• Loan Description: This loan is targeting entrepreneurs working in the ICT sector working in rural areas.  It is offered to existing businesses as well as start-ups. These loans were funded by Cisco.
• Size of the Portfolio: 1%

7. Seasonal Loan

• Loan Size: USD 300 to USD 5,000
• Loan Description: This loan targets businesses that are heavily dependent on seasonality, such as the agriculture and travel sectors. To adapt to the seasonality of the businesses, it was designed with a flexible re-payment that is adjusted to the season.
• Size of the Portfolio: 1%