microfinance,microcredit,bihar,patna,SAIJA,Sai,Poverty,Bpl,Sinha,Rashmi,S.r.sinha,Shashi,ranjan sinha,India,Women,empowerment,SHG,Self help group,Slumdwellers,Small scale industries,Unemployment,Rural,Urban,Development,Joint liability group,Upliftment of women,NBFC,Donation,Charity,Saija Finance Private Limited

A world pioneer in microfinance,ACCION International, founded in 1961, is a private, nonprofit organization with the mission of giving people the financial tools they need – microenterprise loans, business training, and other financial services – to work their way out of poverty. ACCION International’s partner microfinance institutions today are providing loans as low as $100 to poor women and men entrepreneurs in 22 countries in Latin America, the Caribbean, Asia and sub-Saharan Africa, and in the U.S. In the last decade alone, ACCION partners have disbursed more than 14 million loans totaling more than $9.4 billion; 97 percent of the loans have been repaid. Selected for the fourth consecutive year for its pioneering approaches to poverty alleviation, ACCION is among 43 organizations awarded the 2007 Social Capitalist Award by Fast Company magazine, and has been awarded Charity Navigator’s highest rating – four stars – for efficiency and sound fiscal management. ACCION established operations in India in 2006. "

"SAIJA-ACCION JOINT VENTURE

SAIJA and ACCION International have decided to partner to make SAIJA Finance a leading microfinance institition in India.ACCION INDIA has been providing Management Services and Technical Assistance Services to Saija as a part of its technical tie-up agreement to support the scale up of microfinance operations directed toward the economically active low-income population in India. ACCION INDIA will assist in the design, execution, and follow-up of a program which uses best-practice microfinance methodologies to deliver credit (group and individual loans) and non-credit financial services. ACCION INDIA also agrees to offer assistance in the application of procedures, mechanisms, and strategies directed at increasing the efficacy and efficiency of this program.

ACCION INDIA’s Management Services and Technical Assistance Services will be executed by a team of ACCION India employees working closely with the Saija management. Management Services for Saija is provided through deputation of ACCION microfinance specialists---Mr.Mathew Sangma as Head (Commercial) and Mr.Praveen Kumar as Head (Operations). Mr Sidharth Chowdhary, Country Head ACCION-India represents ACCION International in Saija's top decision making team.