AKIPRESS.COM - IFC is providing financing to microfinance company Elet-Capital in the Kyrgyz Republic to increase access to finance for women-owned microenterprises (WMEs) and micro housing in rural areas of the country.

IFC’s $2.5 million-equivalent loan in Kyrgyz som loan to Elet-Capital will be split equally between WMEs and housing finance for low-income individuals to help address the financing gaps for both. The gap for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs), including those owned by women, in the Kyrgyz Republic is estimated at $1.4 billion, equivalent to 21 percent of GDP. Housing finance is also scarce for many low-income households, especially in rural areas.

This is IFC’s second loan to a Kyrgyz microfinance institution to support women-owned MSMEs and housing - with energy efficient components - in rural areas. Earlier, IFC provided $2.5 million in financing to microcredit company Bailyk Finance. The aim is to support the country’s microfinance sector and help financial intermediaries remain viable and support smaller businesses amid a challenging economic environment.

The loan to Elet-Capital is the second project in the Kyrgyz Republic under IFC’s Base of the Pyramid Program (BOP), an extension to its Fast-Track COVID Facility launched in 2021. BOP helps financial services providers deliver funding to help MSMEs, informal enterprises and low-income households recover from the operational and financial impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. It is providing up to $600 million to microfinance institutions, non-bank financial institutions, and MSME-focused banks. The local currency financing is being provided through currency swaps with the Local Currency Facility of the International Development Association’s Private Sector Window.

IFC has been partnering with Elet-Capital since 2013, helping the company improve corporate governance, boost housing microfinance, and promote financial literacy.