AMIR sets to raise public awareness on Client Protection
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by Felibien Hirwa Tuza.
The Association of Microfinance Institutions in Rwanda (AMIR) is launching a public awareness campaign on client protection in Rwanda, as a strategic approach to streamline the application of client protection principles in the Rwanda Microfinance Sector. This awareness is intended to create awareness among the clients of Microfinance institutions especially by helping them to understand their rights.
Currently the Rwandan Microfinance Sector counts for 470 Microfinance institutions across the country. These financial institutions have been operating for quite a number of years, serving low income clients who cannot afford formal financial services in commercial banks. According to the statistics from the National Bank of Rwanda, Microfinance institutions serve more than 3.4 million of Rwandan population. These institutions are mandated to contribute in eradicating poverty by serving and providing quality financial services to their clients by allowing them to sustainably build healthy household economies.
The Government of Rwanda and its development partners have played a key role in establishing conducive environment for both, the clients and the financial service providers to attain equitably their social and business objectives. The financial service providers have so far played their role in maintaining the already established environment where by, complying with the Client Protection Principles is one of the main priorities in order to ensure total client satisfaction.
“Microfinance industry is valuable and critical because it keeps people’s money, that is why AMIR and partners are designing the necessary strategies to ensure the sector provides the required services to their members” – Aimable Nkuranga the Executive Director of AMIR
AMIR is currently leading the Responsible Finance through Local Leadership and Learning Program (RFL3). The program’s goal is to scale up the application of Consumer Protection Principles for low income financial service customers. Consumer Protection Principles are designed to allow customers to derive greater economic benefits from financial services while promoting trust and transparency in the sector.
In addition to the above, AMIR provides critical support in consumer protection through conducting institutional assessments, capacity building and awareness. Thus, to ensure the smooth running and effectiveness of RFL3, AMIR sets to campaign for raising public awareness of Banking Consumer Rights and the Client Protection Principles. At this point, different Media channels are expected to play fundamental role given that, they have the capacity to reach out to all Microfinance institutions’ clients in different channels like Radios, TVs, Magazines, and online articles as well as various social Medias.
Media plays the role of acting as a bridge between the government, development partners and the people, between service providers and clients. Most importantly, in the microfinance sector, media is a key player in information sharing of best practices and advocacy.
As a result, AMIR in partnership with the Media High Council has selected 26 professional journalists, financial reporters from different media houses, printing, online publishers, radios and TVs to attend a one day training on Client Protection Principles. This training took place on 14th June 2018, at RICEM former Iwacu Kabusunzu. This training is considered to be a “starting point” for the Client Protection Campaign. The Campaign message is dubbed, “URUHARE RWANJYE” (MY CONTRIBUTION) which was chosen to ensure the role of everyone in the sector including Journalists in promoting Client Protection Principles.
This campaign will last for five months, starting from June through November. At the celebration of the African Day of Information and the 10th National Media Dialog, AMIR and partners will choose and award the most influential or inspirational story published on Consumer Protection. The campaign is expected to promote the responsible and inclusive finance and contribute in overcoming sector challenges related to misinterpretation and misconception of client protection principles especially on the demand side.
