In Myanmar, the YWCA has been at the forefront of raising the status of women empowerment since 1900. The Young Women Empowerment Group (YWEG) is one of the National YWCA’s empowerment activities that features empowerment and economic change activities through microfinance services for disadvantaged women who are excluded from Myanmar’s formal financial sector.
The Young Women’s Empowerment Group Project was originally licensed in 2012 under the guidance and support of the YWCA of Myanmar and operated as the microfinancing unit of the Young Women’s Empowerment Group (YWEG). In 2021, YWEG was transformed into a Company and transferred all YWEG’s project activities, including all assets, liabilities, staff, and clients to the new entity called Yuwaddy Ahmahn Microfinance Company Limited (YAMFI). YAMFI provides micro loans to poor, underprivileged and disadvantaged women via group lending structure. The organization lends primarily to women, ethnic and/or religious minorities located Yangon Region, Bago Region, Ayeyarwaddy Region, and the Shan State. YAMFI provides loans to entities involved in agriculture (crop and livestock), trading, production, and services.