Kiva conducts regular, ongoing monitoring of all Lending Partners, but only posts status updates here in response to relevant, major changes at the partner.

Status update - February 9, 2017

VisionFund Albania is under new ownership, and has changed its name to Agro & Social Fund.

Partner description:

Formerly known as VisionFund Albania, Agro & Social Fund is a microfinance institution that works in both rural and urban areas of Albania. It offers a range of loans and financial services tailored to meet the needs of its poor and traditionally underserved clients. As Albania is one of the poorest countries in Europe, Agro & Social Fund’s services fill an important need: providing traditionally “unbankable” clients access to capital. 

A unique lending approach:

A portion of Agro & Social Fund’s active clients are members of Albania’s Roma and Egyptian communities, which are the most vulnerable ethnic minorities in the country. People from these communities tend to earn a living from informal work in agriculture, reselling or recycling, meaning that their unemployment and poverty rates are extremely high.

With a social mission that distinguishes it from other banks and microfinance institutions, Agro & Social Fund has tremendous potential to serve Albania with microfinance solutions targeted to the poor. The organization offers agriculture, household and social loans designed to improve child welfare. Agro & Social Fund also offers special ‘startup loans’ at lower interest rates to encourage micro-entrepreneurs to start income-generating businesses to support their families.