Habitat for Humanity’s Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter’s partner for the Building Assets Unlocoking Access project – Kenya Women Microfinance Trust (KWFT) took home top honors at the 2017 Banker Africa awards having been declared the “Best Microfinance Institution in East Africa” and the “Best Microfinance Institution in Kenya.” KWFT was also awarded at the 2017 ‘Think Business Banking Awards’ having won “Overall Best Leading Microfinance Bank in Kenya 2017”. The bank was lauded for its innovative, prudent and stable banking solutions with additional awards for “Best Microfinance Bank in Agriculture and Livestock Finance” and “Best Microfinance Bank in Product Innovation (1st Runners-Up)” for the Nyumba Smart Loan.
The Nyumba Smart Loan, developed with the support of Habitat for Humanity International’s Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter is a 
housing microfinance product that enables low-income earners in Kenya to receive a loan for home construction or home improvements. In addition the clients receive non-financial construction advice to support the clients during the building process.
KWFT is an important partner of Habitat for Humanity’s Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter toward building a sustainable and affordable housing sector for low income earners. KWFT has disbursed in excess of 36,500 Nyumba Smart incremental housing products, positioning itself as leaders in housing microfinance across East Africa.
The award is recognition of KWFT’s continued commitment to providing affordable, innovative and customer-centric housing solutions to the low-income households.
Habitat for Humanity’s Terwilliger Center congratulates KWFT on its growth and accomplishments.
Habitat for Humanity International and the Mastercard Foundation partnered to implement a six-year project “Building Assets, Unlocking Access” in Africa. This project is carried out by Habitat for Humanity’s Terwilliger Center for Innovation in Shelter, to provide technical assistance to six leading financial institutions in Uganda and Kenya to develop housing microfinance products and non-financial support services for people living on less than US$5 per day. The aim is to enable these people to secure adequate and affordable housing and improve their living conditions.
Learn more at: https://www.habitat.org/impact/our-work/terwilliger-center-innovation-in-shelter/shelter-solutions-for-people-in-sub-saharan-africa
