The partnership will enable DAWN to provide financial credit to around 10,000 small businesses across Myanmar

Yangon, Myanmar – December 18th, 2019 – Yoma Bank signed a MMK 3.485 billion funding agreement with Early Dawn Microfinance Company Limited (DAWN) to open up more credit access to small businesses across urban, peri-urban and rural areas in Myanmar. This new funding resource will enable DAWN to expand its inclusive financial services to around 10,000 additional clients in seven regions across Myanmar.

The new agreement comes after the first MMK 13.5 billion funding agreement between Yoma Bank and DAWN in May 2018; more than 30,000 entrepreneurs have already benefited from loans under the previous partnership. DAWN provides a wide range of financial services such as group-guaranteed loans, larger loans to small business owners, and interest-bearing deposits. Since 2015, when the Institution was launched by its 3 shareholders Accion, FMO and Triodos, DAWN has prioritized the development of new segments, products and innovative models and channels, to support Myanmar’s financially underserved. As of 30 November 2019, DAWN has expanded its branch network to 63 in Yangon, Bago, Mon, Kayin, Magwe, Mandalay and Sagaing, serving nearly 240,000 clients and has over MMK 73 billion total loan portfolio.

DAWN’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Gonzalo Gonzalez said, “The extended partnership is another indicator of our strategy to widen our geographic footprint. While we have witnessed the rapid expansion in Myanmar over the past four years, we are making sure to provide high-quality, affordable and appropriate financial services for Myanmar’s financially underserved. With our vision to be the best microfinance institution in Myanmar, we will be improving the lives of families by providing access to credit to low-income people, micro entrepreneurs and small enterprises in Myanmar.”

“Yoma Bank’s central mission is to support micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) in Myanmar by helping them to access finance for their businesses. We understand microfinance is an important gateway to promote entrepreneurship and financial inclusion. For this reason, we are intensifying our funding support to Microfinance Institutions (MFIs) in Myanmar. This new facility will make a big difference for underserved communities to put their innovation at work; contributing to the development of national economy.” said Chief Executive Officer of Yoma Bank, Mr. Dean Cleland.

About DAWN
Focused on micro-entrepreneurs and small businesses, Early Dawn Microfinance Company Limited (DAWN) was one of the earliest MFIs established in Myanmar. It was originally launched in 2002 as a program under Save the Children International. In 2015, it became an independent company and has rapidly grown into one of Myanmar’s largest and leading microfinance institutions, supporting micro and small business owners.

DAWN is registered with the Ministry of Planning and Finance and operates with a deposit-taking license granted by the Financial Regulatory Department. In 2015, Accion, the Dutch Development Bank FMO, and Triodos Investment Management formed a consortium and invested in DAWN to establish it as a premier institution that could serve as a model for the country’s nascent microfinance industry and influence the development of the sector. DAWN is already the third largest MFI in Myanmar (by number of active borrowers), and is working to expand and improve with innovative models its services to new market segments and new geographies, and to increase its services in existing areas of operations.