Grameen Foundation : Get involved : What Friends are Saying : Kamran's Story
Kamran Azim's Story
I am a Chartered Accountant by profession and worked for over 10 years in KPMG in their financial services division. A few years ago, while I was working for a French multinational oil marketing company, I came to know of Kashf Foundation at a dinner through a friend (also a Chartered Accountant) who had done a review of the internal audit function of Kashf. Kashf Foundation is a microfinance institution in Pakistan and, with support from Grameen Foundation, serves poor people there. After listening to my friend talk about Kashf’s work and future plans, I immediately knew that I wanted to be a part of its mission of poverty alleviation. I joined as Operations Manager in April 2005 and, in January 2007, I was promoted to the Head of Operations. My core objective at Kashf has been to spearhead the expansion plans for the coming years and take our outreach to 500,000 clients by the end of 2008, while creating management depth in Operations to take this number to a million by the end of 2010. During my time at Kashf, the organization has grown from 60,000 clients to an active client base of 180,000 with a branch network of over 80 branches all across Pakistan. My experience at Kashf has been the most gratifying and exciting time of my life.
In Pakistan, I see microfinance as a key to poverty alleviation. It is grassroots poverty eradication from the bottom up. It really attacks at the root – the center point – of poverty. At the same time, it returns dignity to poor people so they can make a difference in their own lives. It not only gives people their lives back, but it affects their whole generation. Just like a foundation for a house, microfinance builds a strong base for emerging economies.
Microfinance is also a successful approach for women’s empowerment. Women who become microfinance clients transform dramatically. Where they were once confined by the walls of their home with no decision-making power, they become central figures in directing their household. Their husbands begin listening to them. Women become empowered through microfinance and are no longer just objects of abuse. We also see them become more involved in their communities and more invested as business owners.
Grameen Foundation : Get involved : What Friends are Saying : Kamran's Story
Grameen Foundation uses microfinance and innovative technology to fight global poverty and bring opportunities to the world's poorest people. With tiny loans and financial services, we help the poor, mostly women, start businesses and escape poverty. Our global network of 55 microfinance institution (MFI) partners including our Growth Guarantee partners has touched more than 34 million people in 24 countries. In addition, we introduced and now sustain technology initiatives (Mifos and Village Phone) in Cameroon, Kenya, Rwanda, and Uganda, bringing our total country outreach to 28.
+1-202-628-3560 www.grameenfoundation.org
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