Centre For Microfinance Nepal

The Centre for Microfinance (CMF) Nepal is a pioneer network of microfinance institutions and professionals initiated in by the private sector with a not-for-profit agenda; the institutions consist of banks, cooperatives and NGOs involved in microfinance services. Since its establishment, CMF Nepal has dedicated all its efforts to strengthening microfinance institutions (MFIs) and enabling them to reach the poor with financial services of different types with a vision of "sustainable access to financial services for the poor." The fundamental themes on which CMF initiatives in capability enhancement are built consist of networking, research, training, advisory services, hands on support, and advocacy. CMF Nepal has to its credit a range of publications that are highly valued and utilized by the MFIs in Nepal and abroad. These publications include training manuals, research findings, best practices, and proceedings of microfinance summits. CMF hosts a variety of popular training programs that focus largely on improvements in management and services at the field, branch and the central levels. CMF Nepal periodically organizes international visits for MFIs to expose them to the challenges faced, remedies adopted and innovations made by MFIs in other countries. A dedicated team of experienced professionals specializing in management, finance, research, training, enterprise development and field work coordinate CMF ideas and initiatives in collaboration with members, partners, and specialists in the field. So far, microfinance institutions have reached nearly half of the households in Nepal with a diverse range of products and their reach to the poor has remarkably expanded. A significant part of the achievement in poverty reduction is attributed to improvements in microfinance services to the poor, an trend that CMF Nepal strives to protect and extend.