Ekphatthana Microfinance Institution (EMI) is the first licensed microfinance institution to operate in Lao PDR under the government’s Microfinance regulations that was issued in 2005 and then updated in 2008.
EMI was created as a private Lao company with a start-up capital of $100,000 USD from ten shareholders. It disbursed its first loan in April 2006. Preparation, licensing and staff recruitment took place between October 2005 and April 2006.
EMI has been established in the time when Lao PDR has been striking to progress from the status of Least Developing Country (LDC) and is currently working hard to achieve the Millennium Development Goal (MDG) and poverty eradication. With this regards, microfinance sector has been considered as a mean to move country forward a market oriented economy and to encourage the transformation of subsistence farming to market oriented farming.
As numerous studies have shown that there is a strong unmet need for sustainable financial services throughout the Lao PDR, EMI’s purpose is to respond to this demand and strives to achieve this by offering suitable and innovative financial products to its clients. The organisation’s core priorities focus on complying in the international good practices and principles for microfinance institutions.
Throughout its Nine (9) years of establishment, EMI remains committed and focused on servicing the poor and middle income households without access to financial services.
As of December 31, 2014, EMI has over 61,355 savers, 11,083 active borrowers and an accumulated loan disbursement of 198 billion kip (approximately 24 Million USD).