Kashf Foundation
Kashf Foundation, founded in 1996 in Lahore, is Pakistan's first specialized microfinance institution, providing microloans, microinsurance, pension savings, and telehealth services to women micro-entrepreneurs across 422 branches and 800,000 active clients.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1996
- HeadquartersLahore, Pakistan
- Headcount1,001–5,000
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Kashf Foundation does
Kashf Foundation, established in 1996 and headquartered in Lahore, Pakistan, is the country's first specialized microfinance institution and operates as a Non-Banking Micro Finance Company regulated by the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan under Section 42 of the Companies Act 2017. The organization provides microcredit, microinsurance (life, health, livestock), pension savings, and telehealth services to women micro-entrepreneurs and low-income households, with 96%+ of loans deployed to women-owned micro-enterprises. Its lending model combines appraisal-backed individual lending with non-financial services including capacity building, gender training, and social advocacy programs. Distribution is through a physical network of 422 branches nationwide supported by Business Development Officers and community-based group lending circles following a Grameen replicator heritage.
Kashf generates revenue primarily through interest income on microloans, supplemented by recurring premiums from microinsurance products and pension savings contributions. The organization also runs telehealth clinics (Sehat ka Paigham) and education financing through Kashf School Sarmaya, which serves 2,253 low-cost private schools. Go-to-market relies on direct field-based sales, community outreach, and mass-media awareness campaigns including award-winning television dramas (Udaari, Rehaii, Aakhri Station, Dil Na Umeed Tau Nahi) and social theatre performances reaching over a million participants. As of the most recent data, Kashf serves 800,000 active clients with a workforce of 3,988 staff and has cumulatively empowered over 2.8 million women micro-entrepreneurs since inception.
The foundation has built a diversified development-finance-backed capital structure, with senior debt facilities from CDC Group, Finnfund, BIO, FMO, OeEB, and Symbiotics, including a Pakistan-first USD 5 million Gender Sukuk and the country's inaugural Gender Bond with InfraZamin. It has received global recognition including the European Microfinance Award, Forbes Top 50 MFIs (34th), Schwab Foundation Social Entrepreneur Award, and the Pakistani government's Tamgha-e-Imtiaz. Founder Roshaneh Zafar has led the institution continuously since inception.
Kashf Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Kashf Foundation
- Legal name
- Kashf Foundation
- Website
- https://kashf.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1996
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1,001–5,000 employees
- Short description
- Kashf Foundation, founded in 1996 in Lahore, is Pakistan's first specialized microfinance institution, providing microloans, microinsurance, pension savings, and telehealth services to women micro-entrepreneurs across 422 branches and 800,000 active clients.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Kashf Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Microfinance Services
- NAICS
- Nondepository Credit Intermediation (5222)
- SIC
- Personal Credit Institutions (6141), Short-Term Business Credit Institutions (6153), Miscellaneous Business Credit Institution (6159)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Microloans & Working Capital Loans (FSAKAGAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Microfinance, Financial Inclusion & Inclusive Markets (BPAGABAM), Microfinance & Community P2P Lending (FSAKAHAD), SME Term Loans & Growth Capital (FSAKAGAB), Secured Microloans (Community/Nonprofit, Collateralized) (FSAKALAJ), SME, Microfinance & Financial Inclusion Facilities (BPADACAI)
Keywords
Where Kashf Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Lahore
- HQ country
- Pakistan
- HQ region
- Asia
Offices2 records
Markets served
Kashf Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Microloan Interest Income: Kashf generates revenue primarily through interest income on microloans provided to women micro-entrepreneurs and low-income households. Loans are deployed primarily to women-owned micro-enterprises (96%+).
- Microinsurance Premiums: Revenue generated from microinsurance products including life insurance, health insurance, and animal insurance for cattle.
- Pension Savings: Micro pension scheme for low-income women generating recurring revenue from savings contributions.
- Telehealth Services: Sehat ka Paigham telehealth clinics providing health services to women entrepreneurs.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Interest-free loan schemes mentioned for microenterprises |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels7 records
Kashf Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Kashf Foundation provides microfinance services — appraisal-backed individual microloans, microinsurance (life, health, livestock), micro-pension savings, and telehealth services — to low-income women micro-entrepreneurs and households in Pakistan through a network of 422 branches. The organization complements its financial products with non-financial services including capacity building, social advocacy programs, and education finance for low-cost private schools (Kashf School Sarmaya). Over 96% of loans are deployed to women-owned micro-enterprises, with 800,000 active clients served.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Microloans (Appraisal-Backed Individual Lending)
Quantifiable outcome
- 96% of loans deployed to women-owned micro-enterprises
- +4 more outcomes
Companies that use Kashf Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments5 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
Kashf Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Feature1 record
Kashf Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- UNDP PakistancoreKashf Foundation won UNDP Pakistan's Insurance Innovation Challenge, partnering on innovative insurance solutions for women entrepreneurs in Pakistan.
- EFU LifecoreEFU Life and Kashf Foundation celebrated milestone of empowering 500,000 women through the Khushal Mustakbil Plan in Pakistan, providing life insurance solutions.
- Global Affairs Canada (GAC)coreKashf Foundation announced Sehat Ka Paigham, a transformative podcast series in collaboration with Global Affairs Canada aimed at addressing malnutrition, stunting, and maternal health in Pakistan.
- Global Affairs Canada (GAC)coreGlobal Affairs Canada collaborated on 'House Full Batti Gul' mini-web series and 'Kuch Ankahi' drama, addressing population growth, women's rights, and social issues.
- InfraZamin PakistancoreKashf Foundation and InfraZamin Pakistan launched Pakistan's first Gender Bond for institutional investors, providing capital market access for women entrepreneurs.
- UNDP PakistancoreUNDP Pakistan and Kashf Foundation partnered to provide entrepreneurship training and guidance to 8,000 young men and women in Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.
- Uber PakistanminorKashf Foundation and Uber Pakistan collaborated to provide social principles training to driver partners, addressing inappropriate behavior awareness.
- Coca-Cola FoundationminorCoca-Cola Foundation partnership with Kashf Foundation provided USD 120,000 funding for vocational training programs, training over 300 women entrepreneurs in beauty and tailoring skills in Sialkot region.
Scale indicators20 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Kashf Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Khushhali Microfinance Bank: Pakistan's largest microfinance bank and one of Kashf Foundation's closest direct competitors, offering microcredit, savings, and insurance products to low-income households across Pakistan through an extensive branch network.
- HBL Microfinance Bank (Mobilink Bank): Subsidiary of Habib Bank Limited (Pakistan's largest bank), it is the country's second-largest MFI by active borrowers, competing directly with Kashf in microcredit, savings, and digital lending.
- NRSP Microfinance Bank: One of Pakistan's largest microfinance banks with a national branch network providing microcredit, savings, and insurance to rural and semi-urban clients — direct overlap with Kashf's women micro-entrepreneur segment.
- First MicroFinance Bank Pakistan: Pakistan-based MFI bank offering microloans, deposits, and remittance services to underserved communities; directly comparable in client base, product mix, and branch-led distribution.
- U Microfinance Bank: Pakistani MFI bank with national branch presence and digital distribution, offering microcredit, savings, and agent banking — directly competes with Kashf for the same low-income and women entrepreneur segments.
- Akhuwat Foundation: Pakistan's largest interest-free microfinance provider, offering Qard-ul-Hassan loans to low-income households; competes with Kashf on the same women-empowerment narrative and overlapping client segments, particularly on religious-sensitive borrowers.
- FINCA Microfinance Bank: Subsidiary of global FINCA Impact Finance network operating a Pakistani MFI bank with microcredit and savings products targeting low-income women and micro-entrepreneurs; comparable model and target client.
Broad incumbents
- BRAC: One of the world's largest development NGOs with a global microfinance program (BRAC International), offering microcredit, savings, and enterprise development to low-income women — broader portfolio but overlapping mission and methodology with Kashf.
- Grameen Bank: The original microfinance institution that Kashf was founded to replicate; offers group-based microcredit to poor women in Bangladesh and globally, serving as the foundational peer for Kashf's Grameen-replicator operating model.
Regional players
- Bandhan Bank: Major Indian microfinance-turned-universal-bank serving low-income women entrepreneurs across India with group lending, individual loans, and insurance; comparable business model and target client in a neighboring South Asian geography.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Kashf Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceKashf Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Kashf Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles6 records
Kashf Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds7 records
Investors9 records
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Kashf Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Kashf Foundation
What does Kashf Foundation do?
Kashf Foundation provides microfinance services — appraisal-backed individual microloans, microinsurance (life, health, livestock), micro-pension savings, and telehealth services — to low-income women micro-entrepreneurs and households in Pakistan through a network of 422 branches. The organization complements its financial products with non-financial services including capacity building, social advocacy programs, and education finance for low-cost private schools (Kashf School Sarmaya). Over 96% of loans are deployed to women-owned micro-enterprises, with 800,000 active clients served.
Is Kashf Foundation a public or private company?
Kashf Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Kashf Foundation founded?
Kashf Foundation was founded in 1996. It employs 1,001 to 5,000 people.
Where is Kashf Foundation based?
Kashf Foundation is headquartered in Lahore, Pakistan, in the Asia region.
How does Kashf Foundation make money?
Four revenue lines are on record. Microloan Interest Income is the primary driver. The others are microinsurance Premiums, pension Savings and telehealth Services.
Who are Kashf Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Khushhali Microfinance Bank, HBL Microfinance Bank (Mobilink Bank), NRSP Microfinance Bank, First MicroFinance Bank Pakistan, U Microfinance Bank, Akhuwat Foundation and FINCA Microfinance Bank. Broad incumbents are BRAC and Grameen Bank. Bandhan Bank is listed as a regional player.
Does Kashf Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for Kashf Foundation.
What industry is Kashf Foundation in?
Kashf Foundation's product category is Microfinance Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is FSAKAGAA, Microloans & Working Capital Loans, with a secondary code of BPAGABAM, Microfinance, Financial Inclusion & Inclusive Markets. Its NAICS code is 5222 and its SIC code is 6141.