DECSI
Dedebit Credit and Savings Institution ( DECSI ) is a microfinance institution (MFI). It operates in Tigray , a northern region of Ethiopia . It has more than 460,000 clients and is considered one of the four largest MFIs in Africa 1 .
History
In 1993, REST (Relief Society of Tigray), the main non-governmental organization in Tigray, initiated a socio-economic study on rural poverty. The lack of access to credit appears to be one of the major obstacles to the rehabilitation of the region and its development.
A savings and credit program is set up to help increase agricultural production, stimulate the local economy, reduce the influence of usurers and increase the incomes of the poor. The first operations started in 1994 and the organization is legally recognized in 1996 as part of the first microfinance law enacted in Ethiopia this year.
During its growth DECSI benefited from the financial support of NOVIB (Netherlands), Norvegian People’s Aid and SOS Faim .
Notes and references
- ↑ Mixmarket site [ archive ] , access on registration.