The SYPO microdevelopment project is growing rapidly. In several years from now, we hope to have reached several thousands of clients. Right now, we are looking at ways to grow sustainably yet rapidly. We are recruiting new loan officers, and improving our bookkeeping and administration systems. Microfinance is a huge logistical challenge: every week we have to visit hundreds of clients, take new applications, manage repayments, etc, and all that in different regions. The Ugandan staff will continue to look at ways to efficiently reach the whole of Mukono district, offering low-threshold loans to everybody willing to independently work their way out of poverty.

The adminsistration of a microfinance project is rather complex; with many clients, different interest percentages, weekly repayments and careful registration of any defaults that may occur, a simple excel file is just impossible. SYPO uses an online Oracle application specifically designed for SYPO by Ralph Hopman. This application allows the work group in the Netherlands to monitor and guide the project, but also allows you to follow the developments of the project in realtime!

Graph (up): Outstanding loans. The project has been operational since week 14 in 2009. Ever since, new loans have been granted regularly. The graph shows steady growth of this amount, with declines in between the payment of loans, caused by the regular repayments of the clients. 2800 shillings are about 1 euro, and the graph shows the amount in thousands of shillings. In week 39 for example, the total amount outstanding was 16 million shillings.

Graph (up): Repayments. In this diagram, you can see the total repayments each month. All clients repay weekly amounts, inlcuding interest. This is how the project can sustain itself and even grow on its own. By asking interest, we also avoid unfair competition with local, commercial banks.