Refugees face multiple barriers in gaining access to finance. The financial diaries of refugees are helping to debunk misconceptions about this underserved population.

The Mastercard Foundation Fund for Rural Prosperity (FRP) is investing $2.8 million in three companies from Burundi, Malawi, and Uganda to support projects that expand financial inclusion in rural Africa.

Based on 3,822 (majority women) VSLA member interviews, this brief represents quantitative data from Burundi, Colombia, Côte d’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Mali, Niger, and Vietnam.

Under the partnership, IFC has loaned $5 million to CRDB Bank Burundi S.A. for on-lending to smaller businesses, many of which struggle to access financing for growth, especially in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.