Japanese MFI starts social loans expansion

Japanese microfinance lender MJI Enterprise has started offering three new types of loan and is expanding into two new areas, its chief executive told The Myanmar Times. Yuko Kato said the firm is now offering education, health-care and solar power loans, in addition to its standard and micro-enterprise loans. After starting out in 2015 operating in Yangon and Bago, MJI is now expanding into Sagaing Division and Kachin State, she added. The education and health loans will only be made to families with children under the age of 18, Ms Kato said. “We will [offer these] three new loans especially for women and children from December,” she said, adding that the lender is targeting rural areas initially, but intends to expand. Since receiving its temporary microfinance licence in 2015, the firm has lent some US$3.5 million across five Yangon townships and two Bago townships, Ms Kato said. MJI is intending to hit $5 million by the end of 2017.

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