In co-operation with the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) and Entwicklungswerkstatt Austria (EWA) OeKB provided 250,000 euros on self retention to each Burkina Faso and the Senegal in order to refinance their local MFIs. The credit line is useable in a manifold way (5 years). Due to the strong demand these amounts were increased by 295,000 euros in 2009. The present bi-annual repayment should facilitate better utilisation of funds.
UMECAS (formerly MECARUL) in the Senegal and MECAP in Burkina Faso are specialised in granting microloans to craftsmen and small scale enterprises. Almost 70% of the contract partners are women. This project was awarded the TRIGOS, denomination market, in 2007.