Description

Between December 2006 and April 2009, Belgian Bankers Academy managed the Recovery, Advisory and Microfinance Exchange Fund, FORCE, established by the Commercial Bank of Burundi to improve access to financial services for underserved populations. The main achievements included:

• Internal regulations and procedures manual: design and implementation of an operational guide governing the Fund’s activities.

• Grant award criteria: definition and approval by the Board of Directors of the procedures for selecting and monitoring beneficiaries.

• Activity plans and cash-flow forecasts: preparation of six-monthly budgets and justification of previous advances.

• Guidelines for applicants: drafting of guidelines governing grant applications, contracts and technical monitoring.

• Expenditure monitoring and justification: establishment of a transparent control system and six-monthly reporting to the Board.

BBA’s Role

• Drafting the internal regulations, procedures manual and eligibility criteria.

• Preparing and presenting annual activity plans and cash-flow forecasts.

• Designing guidelines for assessing grant applications and preparing contracts.

• Establishing the technical monitoring system for funded projects and expenditure verification.

• Providing six-monthly reports to the Board of Directors and support during approval procedures.