Kiva conducts regular, ongoing monitoring of all Lending Partners, but only posts status updates here in response to relevant, major changes at the partner.


Partner Description:

Agora Microfinance Zambia (AMZ) Limited, a company limited by shares, was licensed with the Bank of Zambia in 2011 as a non-deposit-taking non-bank financial institution, with the objective of providing financial service to the financially excluded (largely rural) population of Zambia. ​


A unique lending approach

AMZ offers Village bank loans, small group business loans and Lima Loans (Agriculture), and MSMEs. As most of the clients are in rural areas, due to poor infrastructure in Zambia and lack of proper internet connectivity, AMZ leverages the presence of its client officers to expand its outreach. Client officers use bikes to go to clients and each officer covers a 100km radius from the branch. As AMZ looks to expand its current reach beyond the current regions, the company is seeking low-cost funding with an FX advantage such as Kiva's that can enable them to scale at a competitive price for their current underserved consumer market. 


Repayment Performance on Kiva

    This Lending Partner All Kiva Partners
  Start Date On Kiva Sep 14, 2022 Oct 12, 2005
Total Loans $65,225 $1,963,391,405
Amount of raised Inactive loans $0 $623,050
Number of raised Inactive loans 0 271
Amount of Paying Back Loans $25,275 $155,983,140
Number of Paying Back Loans 9 182,346
Amount of Ended Loans $39,950 $1,776,188,995
Number of Ended Loans 11 2,383,143
Delinquency Rate 100.00% 11.21%
Amount in Arrears $9,201 $10,545,215
Outstanding Portfolio $3,114 $94,056,681
Number of Loans Delinquent 9 43,938
Default Rate 0.00% 1.82%
Amount of Ended Loans Defaulted $0 $32,352,693
Number of Ended Loans Defaulted 0 84,927
Currency Exchange Loss Rate 9.75% 0.49%
Amount of Currency Exchange Loss $6,412 $12,028,211
Refund Rate 0.00% 0.54%
Amount of Refunded Loans $0 $10,528,825
Number of Refunded Loans 0 9,602

Loan Characteristics On Kiva

    This Lending Partner All Kiva Partners
  Loans to Women Borrowers 23.81% 78.25%
Average Loan Size $2,249 $392
Average Individual Loan Size $3,301 $589
Average Group Loan Size $2,500 $1,893
Average number of borrowers per group 10 8.3
Average GDP per capita (PPP) in local country $4,100 $5,599
Average Loan Size / GDP per capita (PPP) 54.86% 7.00%
Average Time to Fund a Loan 15.28 days 8.94 days
Average Dollars Raised Per Day Per Loan $147.20 $43.84
  Average Loan Term 12.43 months 11.47 months

Journaling Performance on Kiva

    This Lending Partner All Kiva Partners
  Total Journals 0 1,181,957
  Journaling Rate 0.00% 42.25%
  Average Number of Comments Per Journal 0.00 0.02
  Average Number of Recommendations Per Journal 0.00 0.57

Borrowing Cost Comparison (based on 2009 data)

    This Lending Partner Median for MFI's in Country All Kiva Partners
  Average Cost to Borrower N/A 74.00% PY 27.02% PY
  Profitability (return on assets) 5.91% 3.2% -3.03%
  Average Loan Size (% of per capita income) N/A 10.00% 0.00%

Country Fast Facts

Country:
Zambia
Capital:
Lusaka
Official Language:
Bembe 33.4%, Nyanja 14.7%, Tonga 11.4%, Lozi 5.5%, Chewa 4.5%, Nsenga 2.9%, Tumbuka 2.5%, Lunda 1.9%, Kaonde 1.8%, Lala 1.8%, Lamba 1.8%, English (official) 1.7%, Luvale 1.5%, Mambwe 1.3%, Namwanga 1.2%, Lenje 1.1%, Bisa 1%, other 9.2%, unspecified 0.4%
Population:
14,638,505
Avg Annual Income:
$4,100
Labor Force:
agriculture: 85%, industry: 6%, services: 9%
Population Below Poverty Line:
60.50%
Literacy Rate:
63.40%
Infant Mortality Rate (per 1000):
66.62 deaths
Life Expectancy:
55.83 years

Lending Partner Staff

Tulumbe Cheelo
Susan Chibanga
Chishiba Kampilimba
Chipulu Kamusaki
Mangani Muselema
Mwape Mwila