Context

Since 2005, CIDR has been a partner of Wakenya Pamoja SACCO (WPS), a Savings and credit cooperative (SACCO) that covers rural areas with good agro-economic potential. CIDR supported the institutional strengthening of the SACCO and the development of its products and range of clientele, especially through the launching of a microfinance department (MFD).

As the partnership will come to an end in June 2011, CIDR wished to assist the SACCO in the measurement of the social performance of its MFD. To do so, CIDR organized a social audit using the third version of the Social Performance Indicators (SPI) developed by CERISE. This tool is widely recognized and it is in compliance with the standards of the International Social Performance Task Force.

Contribution

The social audit of WPS’ MFD was conducted using an external participative approach. As a consequence the report and questionnaire can be useful to those interested in getting an example of how to use this new version of SPI.
The output of the social assessment shows clear complementarities between social and financial performance, with examples from the field. It also highlights the stakes of the MFD’s strategy to reach the rural poor.

Content

The report contextualizes the MFD through a presentation of its economic, social and political environment and historical background. The results obtained for each dimension of the questionnaire are unfolded, clarified and justified. They are synthesized thanks to graphs and marks concerning each dimension and criterion.