MicroLoan Foundation
MicroLoan Foundation is a UK-registered charity providing small business loans, business training, and ongoing mentoring to women entrepreneurs living in poverty across sub-Saharan Africa, operating in Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2002
- HeadquartersLondon, United Kingdom
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What MicroLoan Foundation does
MicroLoan Foundation is a UK-registered non-profit charitable organisation founded in 2002 by Peter Ryan, headquartered at 1-2 Paris Garden, London SE1 8ND. The organisation provides small business loans, financial literacy training, and ongoing mentoring to women entrepreneurs living in poverty in rural sub-Saharan Africa, with operating entities in Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa (launched 2025), plus affiliated entities in the USA and Australia. Its field-based delivery model uses Loan & Training Officers (LTOs) who travel to remote rural communities to form loan groups of five women, deliver business and financial literacy training through song, dance, and role play to accommodate high illiteracy rates, and provide ongoing mentoring through a Centre Model that aggregates multiple groups for peer support, group lessons, and shared emergency funds.\n\nThe technology stack combines a group-based lending architecture with mobile money disbursement and repayment through MTN's platform (100% digital in Zambia), a customised digital savings platform built on MTN mobile money for female-led savings groups, and ESG-compliant loan products (solar-powered irrigation, drought-tolerant seeds, solar-powered fridges) developed with Frankfurt Business School consultants and supported by GIZ. Since 2002, the organisation has supported over 453,000 women across its livelihoods programme, including 324,000 across Malawi, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, with £18 million in loans disbursed to 160,000+ women in 2022 alone. The Zambian operation serves 40,170 active clients with a ZMW 60.02 million loan book (September 2022), while Malawi operates 22 branches serving 32,000+ clients; 90% of clients engage in smallholder farming.\n\nThe revenue model combines individual and institutional donations (with Gift Aid providing a 25% uplift for UK taxpayers), interest income from for-profit lending entities owned by the non-profit parent, and wholesale financing from mission-aligned capital providers including the World Bank-funded FInES Project (administered through the Reserve Bank of Malawi), Grameen Credit Agricole, and Global Partnerships. The architectural choice—a non-profit parent owning for-profit lending subsidiaries—enables mission-aligned rather than shareholder-return-driven decisions on pricing and client protection. MicroLoan Foundation Zambia was recognised with the 2023 60 Decibels Top Impact Award, ranking 2nd out of 35 African financial service providers and 4th globally out of 114 FSPs surveyed in the 2023 Microfinance Index, with documented impact metrics including 84% food security improvement, 97% resilience to emergencies, and 98% quality of life improvement among clients.
MicroLoan Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- MicroLoan Foundation
- Legal name
- MicroLoan Foundation
- Website
- https://microloanfoundation.org.uk
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2002
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- MicroLoan Foundation is a UK-registered charity providing small business loans, business training, and ongoing mentoring to women entrepreneurs living in poverty across sub-Saharan Africa, operating in Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
MicroLoan Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Microfinance
- NAICS
- Other Nondepository Credit Intermediation (52229)
- SIC
- Short-Term Business Credit Institutions (6153)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Microfinance, Financial Inclusion & Inclusive Markets (BPAGABAM)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Microloans & Working Capital Loans (FSAKAGAA), Agricultural & Rural Microfinance (FSAKAGAG), Microenterprise Group Lending (Joint Liability) (FSAKAGAH), Microfinance & Community P2P Lending (FSAKAHAD), SME, Microfinance & Financial Inclusion Facilities (BPADACAI)
Keywords
Where MicroLoan Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- London
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices8 records
Markets served
MicroLoan Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Donations and Charitable Contributions: Individual donors, institutional donors, and corporate partners contribute funds to support micro-loan capital, operational costs, and programme expansion. Gift Aid (UK tax reclaim scheme) increases donation value by 25%. Matched funding campaigns amplify individual contributions.
- Loan Repayments and Interest Income: For-profit lending entities (owned by the non-profit parent) provide small loans to women. Loans are repaid with interest, generating revenue that sustains operations. Interest rates are periodically reduced as the organisation records strong results (e.g., 10 percentage point reduction in Zambia in October 2022). Interest rates are typically higher for newer clients and decrease over loan cycles.
- Institutional Funding and Wholesale Financing: Partnership with World Bank-funded FInES Project (Financial Inclusion and Entrepreneurship Scaling) administered through the Reserve Bank of Malawi provides affordable wholesale financing. Also supported by investors such as Grameen Credit Agricole and Global Partnerships who provide patient, mission-aligned capital.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction based/ take rate | Pay-as-you-go | Micro-loans for women entrepreneurs with business training |
| Other | Monthly | Donation tiers for individual supporters |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels5 records
Marketing channels9 records
MicroLoan Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
MicroLoan Foundation provides small business loans (starting from £13), business and financial literacy training, ongoing mentoring, and savings support to women entrepreneurs living in poverty in rural sub-Saharan Africa. Loans are delivered through a centre model of peer groups of five women, with disbursements and repayments handled digitally via mobile money, particularly in Zambia. The offering combines credit with non-financial services (training, mentoring, group solidarity) tailored for illiterate and unbanked rural clients.
Product overview
MicroLoan Foundation offers a social microfinance model combining small business loans with business training, mentoring, and mobile money integration. The core offering includes Social Microfinance Loans (starting from £13) delivered through a Centre Model structure that groups women into peer-support networks. Additional products include a Digital Savings Platform on MTN Mobile Money and ESG Compliant Loan Products for climate-smart agriculture including solar irrigation and adapted seeds. All loan disbursements are conducted digitally via mobile money, with training provided through accessible in-person sessions.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Products and services
- Social Microfinance Loans Small business loans provided to women entrepreneurs living in poverty in sub-Saharan Africa, starting from £13 for first-time borrowers and growing over successive loan cycles based on repayment track record. Loans are paired with business training, mentoring, and savings support, and are delivered through the centre model of loan groups.
- Digital Savings Platform Digital savings facility built on MTN mobile money infrastructure in Zambia, specifically tailored for female-led savings groups in rural areas, allowing women to save safely, transparently and efficiently without cost.
- Centre Model Programme Organisational structure that brings multiple loan groups of five women together into larger centres. Enables peer-to-peer support, group lessons, training, and shared emergency fund management. Centre leaders are elected by members and time discipline is enforced with fines for late arrivals.
- ESG-Compliant Loan Products Specialised climate-smart loan products including solar-powered irrigation systems, adapted drought-tolerant seeds (maize, cowpeas, pigeon peas), and solar-powered fridges for rural businesses. Developed in collaboration with Frankfurt Business School and GIZ.
- Business and Financial Literacy Training In-person financial literacy and business skills training covering market research, savings strategies, profit reinvestment, and financial planning. Delivered through group sessions using song, dance, and role play to accommodate varying literacy levels among rural women clients.
Quantifiable outcome
- 84% of clients reported increased food security (ability to provide regular meals for families)
- +8 more outcomes
Companies that use MicroLoan Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers11 records
Segments4 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
MicroLoan Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration17 records
Feature4 records
MicroLoan Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered minor and strategic.
- Mariella FrostrupminorCelebrated broadcaster and writer who presented MicroLoan Foundation's BBC Radio 4 Appeal on 12 January 2025. Mariella shared the story of Maretha, a single mother from rural Malawi, during the appeal broadcast which aired at 07:54 and 21:25 on BBC Radio 4.
- Frankfurt Business SchoolstrategicCollaborating with consultants from the Frankfurt Business School to develop ESG-compliant loan products. The partnership involves designing specialised loan offerings (solar-powered irrigation, adapted seeds, solar fridges) and training programmes for ESG risk management, integrating sustainability into the microfinance model.
- CGAP (Consultative Group to Assist the Poor)minorParticipated in a panel discussion on gender smart innovation and digital transformation alongside MicroLoan Foundation. CGAP is a global partnership of development organisations working to advance financial inclusion. Their participation signals sectoral recognition of MicroLoan's work in digital financial services for women.
- UN WomenminorParticipated in MicroLoan Foundation's panel on gender smart innovation and digital transformation. UN Women is the UN entity dedicated to gender equality and women's empowerment. Tinashe Sande, Gender Mainstreaming and Coordination Specialist at UN Women, spoke at the event.
- FSD Zambia (Financial Sector Deepening Zambia)minorParticipated in MicroLoan Foundation's panel on gender smart innovation and digital transformation. Charity Luchembe N Chikumbi, Director Policy and Digital Financial Services at FSD Zambia, contributed expertise on digital financial services policy and inclusion for women in Zambia.
- Linklaters LLPminorLinklaters facilitated MicroLoan Foundation's 20 Years of Impact celebration event in September 2022. The magic circle law firm provided event facilitation and organisational support for the anniversary event marking two decades of operations.
- The Language FactoryminorSpecialist translation services company with over 30 years of experience. Has supported MicroLoan Foundation for many years. For Giving Tuesday 2022, pledged to match every donation up to £50,000, doubling the impact of all festive season donations.
- IFAD (International Fund for Agricultural Development)minorSara Mbago-Bhunu, Director of IFAD's East and Southern Africa Division, participated in MicroLoan Foundation's panel on agrifinance and conservation farming. IFAD invests in rural people to eradicate poverty through agriculture and rural development.
- Women's World BankingminorRokaya Helfer, Moderator and Board Member at MicroLoan Foundation USA, moderated MicroLoan Foundation's agrifinance and conservation farming panel. Women's World Banking contributes expertise on women's financial inclusion in agriculture.
- Women's Digital Financial Inclusion Advocacy HubstrategicMicroLoan Foundation was invited to be a partner of the Women's Digital Financial Inclusion Advocacy Hub, a catalyst for collective action to increase women's digital financial inclusion. Led by Women's World Banking and the United Nations Capital Development Fund (UNCDF), the Hub unifies global and regional partners for coordinated advocacy campaigns.
- Women's World BankingstrategicLeading the Women's Digital Financial Inclusion Advocacy Hub. Women's World Banking is a global non-profit working to increase the strategic commitments, policies, and investments that expand digital financial inclusion for women. MicroLoan Foundation participates as a partner sharing expertise on serving rural women.
- UNCDF (United Nations Capital Development Fund)strategicCo-leads the Women's Digital Financial Inclusion Advocacy Hub alongside Women's World Banking. UNCDF is a UN capital investment agency that catalyses capital for the poor. Partnership enables MicroLoan Foundation to participate in collective advocacy for women's financial inclusion.
Scale indicators21 records
Recent moves8 records
Expansion highlights6 records
MicroLoan Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- BRAC: BRAC is the world's largest development NGO and operates BRAC Microfinance in multiple African countries, providing small loans to women entrepreneurs using group-lending methodologies similar to MicroLoan Foundation's centre model.
- Grameen Credit Agricole: Grameen Credit Agricole is a development finance institution providing patient capital to microfinance institutions serving women entrepreneurs; it is a direct investor in MicroLoan Foundation's lending operations.
- FINCA International: FINCA operates a global village banking microfinance model serving low-income entrepreneurs across Africa and other regions, with similar small-ticket loan products, group lending methodology and focus on women clients.
- VisionFund International: VisionFund is the microfinance arm of World Vision providing small loans to families in developing countries; notably MicroLoan's Malawi CEO Davison Rakasi previously served as Interim CEO of Vision Fund Malawi.
- Women's World Banking: Women's World Banking is a global non-profit dedicated to women's financial inclusion that co-leads the Women's Digital Financial Inclusion Advocacy Hub alongside MicroLoan Foundation and UNCDF.
- Kiva: Kiva is a P2P microlending platform that crowdfunds small loans for underserved entrepreneurs globally, including in African countries, with comparable mission of financial inclusion for unbanked populations.
- Grameen Bank: Grameen Bank pioneered group-based microfinance lending to women in poverty, the foundational model that MicroLoan Foundation's centre model and group lending structure closely mirrors.
- Opportunity International: Opportunity International provides microfinance and small business loans to entrepreneurs in developing countries including multiple African nations, with overlapping focus on rural women and financial inclusion.
Broad incumbents
- World Bank / IFC: World Bank is a major funder of microfinance through facilities like the FInES Project that MicroLoan Malawi partners with, and operates broadly in international development finance and SME support globally.
- CARE International: CARE International is a major humanitarian NGO operating in sub-Saharan Africa with overlapping programmes in women's economic empowerment, financial inclusion and rural poverty alleviation.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat6 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
MicroLoan Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceMicroLoan Foundation compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance2 records
MicroLoan Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
MicroLoan Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles8 records
MicroLoan Foundation subsidiaries and ownership
Company hierarchySubsidiaries6 records
MicroLoan Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
MicroLoan 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 MicroLoan Foundation
What does MicroLoan Foundation do?
MicroLoan Foundation provides small business loans (starting from £13), business and financial literacy training, ongoing mentoring, and savings support to women entrepreneurs living in poverty in rural sub-Saharan Africa. Loans are delivered through a centre model of peer groups of five women, with disbursements and repayments handled digitally via mobile money, particularly in Zambia. The offering combines credit with non-financial services (training, mentoring, group solidarity) tailored for illiterate and unbanked rural clients.
Is MicroLoan Foundation a public or private company?
MicroLoan Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was MicroLoan Foundation founded?
MicroLoan Foundation was founded in 2002. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is MicroLoan Foundation based?
MicroLoan Foundation is headquartered in London, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does MicroLoan Foundation make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donations and Charitable Contributions are the primary driver. The others are loan Repayments and Interest Income and institutional Funding and Wholesale Financing.
Who are MicroLoan Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are BRAC, Grameen Credit Agricole, FINCA International, VisionFund International, Women's World Banking, Kiva, Grameen Bank and Opportunity International. Broad incumbents are World Bank / IFC and CARE International.
Does MicroLoan Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for MicroLoan Foundation.
What industry is MicroLoan Foundation in?
MicroLoan Foundation's product category is Microfinance. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGABAM, Microfinance, Financial Inclusion & Inclusive Markets, with a secondary code of FSAKAGAA, Microloans & Working Capital Loans. Its NAICS code is 52229 and its SIC code is 6153.