In Kazakhstan, KMF and Proparco join forces to support women and rural entrepreneurs

Today, the company serves more than 255,000 customers, half of whom are women. At the same time, 60% of all clients operate in the regions, engaged in agribusiness, trade and service sector. KMF has 14 branches and 117 sales outlets across the country – the wide geographical footprint allows the company to provide microloans to entrepreneurs even in the most remote areas. The strategy of KMF is aimed at developing entrepreneurship, improving digital services and ensuring a personal approach to each client. 

“KMF has been working with entrepreneurs since 1997. Throughout this time, we financed more than 750 thousand citizens. Proparco funds open the way for us to expand business microlending and reach about 12,000 entrepreneurs who are more engaged in rural business. We also aim to focus on women-owned enterprises. For KMF, financial inclusion for women is one of the priorities”, says Shalkar Zhussupov, CEO of KMF.

"KMF is the leading microfinance institution in Kazakhstan, very much active in providing financial support to rural populations, especially women entrepreneurs and agricultural businesses. Proparco is very proud to collaborate once again with KMF on this project, fully in line with our strategy to encourage and accompany on the long term responsible financial inclusion players that target women's entrepreneurship (the project is 100% qualified for the 2X Challenge that Proparco is part of). We believe this transaction to be of major importance in the context of weakening food security, agriculture being the main sector financed by KMF." said Stéphane Froissardey, Regional Director for Türkiye, Caucasus, Balkans, and Central Asia at Proparco.