AFR Celebrating 15 years of Impact

Driving Inclusive Finance for Resilient Communities and Economy

Fifteen years ago, more than half of the adult Rwandans (52%) were financially excluded. That single insight marked a turning point for Rwanda’s financial sector. It was a call to action that led to the creation of Access to Finance Rwanda (AFR) in 2010, with a bold mandate to act as a market catalyst to address the systemic barriers that kept millions of Rwandans outside the financial system. Today, the landscape has dramatically changed. Rwanda is nearly reaching universal financial inclusion.

Our impact has reached
over 4.5 million people

We have supported them in accessing and using new and improved finances. At the heart of these successes is AFR’s unique approach: our structure, our market system development approach, and our incredible team and partners.

AFR championed a market facilitation approach that balances data-driven strategy (the science) with collaborative market development (the art). By engaging with policy makers, financial institutions, and communities, AFR has become a key driver of Rwanda’s journey toward an inclusive economy. Key achievements over this period are highlighted in this report.

Impact Stories

This section highlights compelling impact stories that demonstrate the success of AFR’s market facilitationapproach, capturing lessons learnt and showcasing AFR’s contributions to financial inclusion and financialsector development.

AFR 15 Years of Impact | Staff Glimpses

For the past 15 years, we’ve been at the heart of catalyzing inclusive finance in #Rwanda - from pioneering savings and inclusive insurance schemes, supporting financial institutions to better serve the underserved to enabling digital payments and championing data-driven decision-making.

AFR 15 Years of Impact: A Journey Built Together

AFR has partnered with visionary stakeholders to shape a financial sector that leaves no one behind - empowering women, farmers, youth, refugees, persons with disabilities, and other underserved groups across #Rwanda.