Partner since: 2016

 

Arysh Invest is a small microfinance institution serving borrowers in the shantytowns surrounding Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan. After independence from the Soviet Union in the 1990s, rural residents flocked to the capital, Bishkek, looking for work. When the city was unable to absorb them all, many migrants then settled in shantytowns surrounding Bishkek. Since the homes in these shantytowns are not registered with the government, the owners are not able to access government-sponsored social services and are unable to vote. Arysh lends to these families, assisting them with housing improvements and registering the houses with the government so that the owners can access social services. Arysh has a strong focus on women borrowers, with over 80% of its portfolio lent to women. This is especially notable in the Kyrgyzstani market, where we typically see women borrowers forming less than half of microfinance portfolios.