Global Microfinance Initiative - Where We Work

The Global Microfinance Initiative provides direct support to ongoing World Bank community and local development operations, helping governments expand access to finance for local groups and small businesses working in environmentally sensitive sectors. 

Countries currently receiving direct technical assistance and policy support from the Global Microfinance Initiative include: 

Brazil & Colombia

Across Brazil and Colombia's Amazonian region, indigenous communities steward some of the planet's most biodiverse ecosystems, yet they face acute barriers to accessing finance––including the exclusion of collectively held land from consideration as collateral under existing financial systems. Through a regional advisory program and support from the Global Microfinance Initiative, the World Bank Group is working with the governments to ensure financial institutions are able to better serve Indigenous-owned and -led enterprises, expanding Indigenous Peoples’ access to financial products built around their needs and their role in protecting nature.

Madagascar  

Madagascar's extraordinary biodiversity is under mounting pressure from climate change, deforestation, and economic fragility, with rural communities—particularly women and youth—bearing the heaviest burden of environmental and livelihood risks. Alongside the government of Madagascar and with support from the Global Microfinance Initiative, the World Bank Group is working to strengthen the country's nascent microfinance sector and connect communities in and around protected areas to nature-positive livelihoods—from sustainable fisheries to coastal value chains—mobilizing microfinance as a tool for locally led conservation and resilience.                      

Nigeria

Though Nigeria is an emerging economic power, progress is threatened by limits to inclusive growth and the impacts of climate change, with women disproportionately affected—by both heightened climate vulnerability and limited access to economic opportunities. Through the Nigeria for Women Scale Up Project and support via the Global Microfinance Initiative, the World Bank Group is working with the government to revise its National Financial Inclusion Strategy and other frameworks to recognize women's savings groups within the formal financial sector, while also strengthening the capacity of MFIs to lend to those groups working in vulnerable sectors like energy and agriculture. 

South Africa 

South Africa's shift away from coal is essential to a low-carbon future, but the transition puts local livelihoods at risk—especially for women and youth in coal communities, who often work in the services sector and in small businesses tied to the local economy. As plants close and former workers move away, these groups face the sharpest economic fallout. Through the Eskom Just Energy Transition Project and support from the Global Microfinance Initiative, the World Bank Group, Eskom Holdings, and the South African government are working to build economic opportunities for women- and youth-led enterprises in affected area—mobilizing microfinance, alongside training and mentorship, to support a just transition as the coal-fired power plant is decommissioned and repurposed for renewable energy. 

Tanzania  

Tanzania faces acute economic risks from climate change, amplified by its fast-growing, predominantly rural population. Women make up a majority of the rural agricultural workforce, yet are systematically excluded from accessing formal finance. Through the Project for Advancing Gender Equality (PAMOJA) and support via the Global Microfinance Initiative, the Tanzanian government is (1) building the capacity of financial institutions to lend to local groups working in climate-sensitive sectors, and (2) establishing an 'Apex fund' to leverage private finance, increase liquidity for MFIs, and expand lending to vulnerable producer groups and entrepreneurs. 

Türkiye  

Türkiye's climate policy recognizes women, youth, and vulnerable communities as essential to environmental sustainability and social equity, yet these groups face significant barriers that curtail their participation in climate-smart economic opportunities like green energy. Local financial institutions that could bridge this gap remain constrained by weak regulatory frameworks and insufficient focus on climate and environmental sustainability. Through the Socially Inclusive Green Transition Project (SOGREEN) and support via the Global Microfinance Initiative, the Government of Türkiye is building the capacity of MFIs to deliver environmentally sensitive products to local groups and small enterprises, while also attracting private capital to expand financial access for vulnerable groups over the long-term.  

Explore the program documents linked above to learn more about each project and the opportunity for microfinance to support resilience.  

Regional and Global Engagements 

In addition to country-level support, Global Microfinance Initiative regularly convenes peer-to-peer learning events and multistakeholder knowledge exchanges, providing a space for governments, financial institutions, donors, practitioners, and other key actors to share what is working on the ground and help scale innovative solutions. 

Microfinance and Climate Adaptation Workshop - Tanzania - May 2026

From May 26-28, 2026, the World Bank Group brought together MFIs, representatives from the Central Bank of Tanzania, and other government officials for a workshop to bolster the capacity of Tanzanian MFIs to deliver environmentally sensitive finance to local women’s groups.