FINCA Kosovo launched in February 2000, less than a year after the end of an armed conflict that cost thousands of lives and displaced more than one million people. With support from USAID, the microfinance institution opened its doors to advance the mission of expanding financial inclusion to help individuals, families and communities recover from the war.
Adapting to the needs of a growing market, FINCA Kosovo expanded its initial offering of agriculture and small business loans to provide a full range of loan products. The institution now offers women entrepreneur loans, home improvement loans, vehicle registration loans and life improvement loans. It currently serves over 20,000 clients from a network of 27 branches and expanding digital banking channels.
In order to increase its reach and better serve its clients, the institution has taken steps to digitize its offering of financial products and services. It launched its Online Loan Application (OLA) system in 2012, an innovation which allows clients to apply for loans using a smartphone, computer or tablet. Clients can also receive support from the organization’s Contact Center. FINCA Kosovo was the first FINCA Impact Finance subsidiary to launch Digital Field Automation (DFA), which utilizes cloud-based tablet software to quickly review loan applications and disburse funds. In 2018, the institution launched Centralized Credit Underwriting to enable faster, more accurate and more efficient credit decisioning.
In addition to providing responsible financial products and services, the institution promotes financial and commercial literacy. It operates a wide-ranging training program aimed at ensuring clients and the wider public have the knowledge and skills needed to make informed financial decisions and effectively manage their businesses.
In 2016 FINCA Kosovo received Smart Certification for its long-standing and sustained commitment to upholding the Smart Campaign’s seven Client Protection Principles for responsible banking, which include: appropriate product design and delivery; prevention of over-indebtedness; transparency; responsible pricing; fair and respectful treatment of clients; privacy of client data; and mechanisms for complaint resolution.