Four members of Timor-Leste's Microfinance Working Group went to Uganda recently to learn from that country's successful expansion of microfinance operations. The delegation included three directors of organizations that provide credit and savings in poor communities throughout Timor-Leste and the chief designate for informal-sector and self-employment issues in Timor-Leste government.

During their ten-day trip, the visitors met with government officials, microfinance program clients, and representatives of the donor, banking, and university communities. They also spent time with members of the Association of Microfinance Institutions in Uganda (AMFIU). Founded in 1996, AMFIU has grown with the dramatic expansion of Uganda's microfinance sector. Today it has 85 member institutions and more than 550,000 microfinance clients.

Through the visit, the members of the delegation gained new knowledge about regulations for microfinance, acquired new strategies to increase participation among microfinance providers in sector coordination, and learned from the lessons of Uganda’s experience. The visit also attracted media attention in Timor-Leste and brought the work of Timor-Leste’s Microfinance Working Group to a wider audience.

The Microfinance Working Group provides a valuable forum for collaboration on microfinance issues in Timor-Leste. USAID provided seed capital for its founding last year and remains a strong supporter of the organization and its members.

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