Amhara Credit and Savings Institute: Ethiopia

The purpose of this case study is to highlight how the Amhara Credit and Savings Institution (ACSI) has been successful in terms of delivering financial services to poor, rural and remotely located communities in Ethiopia. ACSI was selected for this series of case studies on state-owned financial intermediaries based on its growth (both in the loan portfolio and savings mobilized), service diversification, efficiency and sustainability - remarkable achievements given the challenging environment in which it operates. Relatively little has been documented or disseminated about ACSI, a financial intermediary partially owned by the state of Amhara in Ethiopia, apart from a 2003 MicroRate rating.