GAWFA CEO Counsels Africa Microfinance Technocrats

The Chief Executive Officer of the Gambia Women’s Finance Association (GAWFA) has told managers of microfinance institutions from all over Africa that they should be “go-getters” and always lead by example.

CEO Oley Njie-Mbye advised managers of microfinance institutions that, where necessary, they should allow their subordinates to take the lead at times to motivate and provide them with the opportunity to be on the drivers’ seats in huddles and meetings. “That way they can experience what it is like to be a leader so that they can see your world though their own lens”.

The GAWFA CEO was speaking on Monday at the beginning of a six-day management development course and training of trainers, for mid-level managers of microfinance institutions in Africa, organized by Africa Microfinance Network (AFMIN) in collaboration with the Centre for Microfinance Leadership at the Women’s World Banking and hosted by GAWFA, the largest microfinance institution in The Gambia.

The programme, financed by Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, was aimed at addressing the key concepts of managing for results and also to develop transformational skills for microfinance institutions managers.  

GAWFA CEO said managers of microfinance institutions “must” be flexible and adapt well to changes and the many paradigm shifts that often face microfinance institutions. “You should therefore be able to wear different hats everyday and embrace both leadership and management skills with trust, integrity, diversity, and respect for all,” she remarked.

She continued:  “Please do not assume that you can only develop your leadership skills from your immediate bosses but be diverse in your search and seek knowledge, wisdom and leadership from all sorts of life and all sorts of fields; be it from your family, community, government, and different fields, blue or while collar roles; and different industries from janitorial, engineering, medicine, banking, to microfinance and the list goes on and on.”

For his part, Mr Davy Serge Azakpame, CEO of Africa Microfinance Network (AFMIN), said good leadership and governance are important in the management of microfinance institutions.  He said good leadership is one of key success factors in management.

Ebrima Jawara, project coordinator of the rural finance project, said to date, the project has spent millions of dollars supporting microfinance institutions in The Gambia and “we will continue to strengthen them in a holistic manner”.

The training course was designed to help managers in microfinance institutions to clarify their roles and responsibilities and to improve their strategic thinking through practical exercises base on technical knowledge in microfinance.

‘President Jammeh’s women empowerment initiatives motivated me to come back home,’ Says GAWFA Boss

In an interview with thegambianbanker.com, the Chief Executive Officer of the Gambia Women’s Finance Association (GAWFA), said President Jammeh’s women empowerment initiatives motivated her to come back home. Oley Njie-Mbye, who has been in the US for more than a decade, observes that there have been “lots of women empowerment initiatives in The Gambia since 1994”. Mrs Njie-Mbye gave a comparison of Gambia before and during the era of President Yahya Jammeh. She said: “When I was in The Gambia, before I went to the US, I did not see these much positive impact in development and empowerment of women but since the coming of the Jammeh administration there have been more positive contributions and development towards the advancement of women.” Most of these developments are self-evident, she says, adding that the government has registered significant achievements by putting in place legislative policies and strategies that support the empowerment of women and the girl child in an environment of equity, fair play and justice. Women have and continued to occupy key decision-making positions in the Jammeh administration over the past 16 years, and the GAWFA CEO believes the contribution of this trend to nation building is “immeasurable”. “We cannot sit here and mention all, it’s evident. We have seen that there are more women in parliament now, more women are economically active now, and more women are empowered now than 16 years ago,” she said. “These efforts really caught my attention with much enthusiasm and motivated me more to take the courage and make a decision to return home and contribute to the development of our beloved nation.” The level of women empowerment in the country “is quite amazing, motivational, and inspiring” not only for her but also for many Gambians living abroad, Mrs Njie-Mbye says. “This is why I decided to come back home to contribute in the little way I can towards the advancement and empowerment of Gambian women and together we can build the nation,” she explained. “When I was writing my Master’s degree I wrote about microfinance in The Gambia, though I had an option; I could have written about where I was (the US.) to make it easy for me to complete,  but because I have an intention to come back home, I decided to write about my own country. Similarly, my doctorate also, I decided to write about the NGOs and the economic empowerment of Gambian women.” The finance and business guru said further: “So I am ready to give everything I could, I am ready to help and volunteer in many areas that I can to complement the government’s efforts towards the empowerment of women and national development. “I was born and bred in an environment of social entrepreneurship where you can be an entrepreneur at the interest of the society. My mother was an entrepreneur. Even though I have worked in the corporate world, and I have a regular full time job, I can still contribute, mentor and help women in many capacities to contribute in their advancement.” Profile of GAWFA CEO Oley Njie Mbye is a bank executive with over 16 years of diverse leadership experiences. Before acquiring her higher education at universities in Africa, Europe and USA, Oley attained her GCE O’ level certificate at Muslim High School where she was the Head Girl and later pursued her Advance Level Certificate at St. Augustine’s High School. Oley enjoys life’s challenges and vicissitudes and views them as opportunities for growth and development, even after earning a Diploma de Langue Practique from Dakar University, Senegal, and a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with Marketing and Management concentration and a minor in French from Coker College, Hartsville, South Carolina, the US. She completed her MSc degree in Social Development Policy and Management in Swansea University, Wales, the UK. Oley is also a doctoral student in the field of Human Services and Public Service Leadership concentrating on Management and has attained her PhD Certificate of Advance Graduate Studies (CAGS) this year from the US. The experience she has on the ground as a social entrepreneur in Africa and the US; the knowledge gained in public affairs from the US Federal Government, the Peace Corps and in Resolution Management with the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO); and the special skills and competence that she brings in on gender equity and women empowerment are all plus to GAWFA and the women empowerment drive in the country. Apart from being bi-lingual, her ability and understanding of the local languages in the country further prepares her for the kind of assignment for which she has been hired. Above all, she has an open door policy which encourages a free flow of information and communication in her workplace. She enjoys volunteer work and has a strong passion in the advancement of women empowerment through micro-finance and institutional capacity building. Oley has therefore joined GAWFA with a wealth of knowledge and experience acquired both at the local and the international levels. This, it is believed, will further enhance the growth and development and image of the new finance company under the auspices of GAWFA.

GAWFA captures global award to Gambia’s pride

Gambia Women’s Finance Association (GAWFA) has, for the first time, emerged victorious at a global competition that focuses on how to manage risk in an uncertain economic climate while continuing to meet the needs of women entrepreneurs. Pic: GAWFA CEO Njie-Mbye Held in New York, USA, from 5 to 8 April this year, the 9th annual competition attracted participants from all over the world. Known as the Capital Market Conference and Investors Forum, the competition was organised this year on the theme “Liquidity Management" by the Women's World Banking, in collaboration with JP Morgan-Chase, one of the largest financial institutions in the United States. GAWFA took first in the first round of the competition and came out second in the final round, a step behind Xac Bank of Mongolia. Oley Njie-Mbye, who represented GAWFA at the conference, told Marketplace that the conference brought together over 400 men and women from different countries around the world to celebrate women entrepreneurship and to support financial inclusion for the poor. GAWFA’s chief executive officer, who was accompanied to the conference by Bakary Dibba, accountant at GAWFA, said the conference gave the participants the opportunity to share best practices in the field of management, gender and finance. Mrs Njie-Mbye stated that the agenda of the conference focused on issues at macro and local levels, challenges facing the sector as well as panels on product diversification and risk management. She said the snapshot of the competition included GAWFA products, offering financial highlights, client segments, key statistics and thorough analysis of GAWFA. CEO Njie-Mbye credited the staff of GAWFA for their team work, dedication and support. “This is why we won the award,” she said, adding that it was the support and encouragement of the staff that resulted in the company winning the award and making the whole of Gambia proud. “The award is not a victory for GAWFA alone but for The Gambia as a whole, because considering the size of the countries that participated in this competition, GAWFA becoming the champion is a great history for The Gambia,” she said. GAWFA is committed to building upon the existing strength as its remediate weakness to confront an increasingly competitive environment, Mrs Njie Mbye noted,  while calling on investors both individuals and institutions in The Gambia and beyond to invest and buy GAWFA’s shares at D10 per share. GAWFA, the first and largest microfinance institution in The Gambia, was established in 1987 and has been an affiliate of the Women’s World Banking network (WWB) headquartered in New York, USA. The vision and mission of GAWFA is the transformation of the financial and social system of The Gambia “to assure an equitable distribution of productive resources between men and women”. The association aims to build and maintain a viable and sustainable women’s organisation that will continue to serve as a financial intermediary to enhance the entrepreneurship development of low-income women, promote capacity building, eradicate poverty, and increase women’s participation in the socio-economic development of The Gambia.

GAWFA CEO counsels Africa microfinance technocrats

The Chief Executive Officer of Gambia Women’s Finance Association (GAWFA) has told managers of microfinance institutions, from all over Africa, that they should be “go getters” and always lead by example. Pics: GAWFA CEO and Participants Mrs Oley Njie Mbye advised microfinance institutions managers that where necessary, they should allow their subordinates to take the lead at times to motivate and provide them with the opportunity to be on the drivers seats in huddles and meetings “that way they can experience what it is like to a leader so that they can see your world though their own lens”. The GAWFA CEO was speaking on Monday at the beginning of a six-day management development course and training of trainers, for mid-level managers of microfinance institutions in Africa, organized by Africa Microfinance Network (AFMIN) in collaboration with the Centre for Microfinance Leadership at the Women’s World Banking and hosted by GAWFA, the largest microfinance institution in The Gambia. The programme, financed by Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation, was aimed at addressing the key concepts of managing for results and also to develop transformational skills for microfinance institutions managers. GAWFA CEO said managers of microfinance institutions “must” be flexible and adapt well to changes and the many paradigm shifts that often face microfinance institutions. “You should therefore be able to wear different hats everyday and embrace both leadership and management skills with trust, integrity, diversity, and respect for all,” she remarked. She continued:  “Please do not assume that you can only develop your leadership skills from your immediate bosses but be diverse in your search and seek knowledge, wisdom and leadership from all sorts of life and all sorts of fields; be it from your family, community, government, and different fields, blue or while collar roles; and different industries from janitorial, engineering, medicine, banking, to microfinance and the list goes on and on.” For his part, Mr Davy Serge Azakpame, CEO of Africa Microfinance Network (AFMIN), said good leadership and governance are important in the management of microfinance institutions.  He said good leadership is one of key success factors in management. Ebrima Jawara, project coordinator of the rural finance project, said to date, the project has spent millions of dollars supporting microfinance institutions in The Gambia and “we will continue to strengthen them in a holistic manner”. The training course was designed to help managers in microfinance institutions to clarify their roles and responsibilities and to improve their strategic thinking through practical exercises base on technical knowledge in microfinance.

Chief Executive Officer shares anecdote

By Lamin Jahateh, Staff Reporter Banjul, The Gambia - The Chief Executive Officer of Gambia Women’s Finance Association, Oley Njie Mbye, shared the experience of her mum on how getting funds from financial institutions remains a herculean task for entrepreneurs, especially female petty traders who want to expand their small ventures to grease the economic engine and create, build and grow the economy. Mrs Njie-Mbye said microfinance touches on almost everyone’s life. She gives an anecdote: “I grew up with humble beginnings with the most wonderful dad, we called him daddy cool .I saw my mother toiled and worked so hard, we called her JAMBARR. She was not only a household manger but also an entrepreneur who worked even harder than her male counterparts. Most of all she had a heavy load on her head as many household managers here in The Gambia and at the same time she had to make ends meet through petty trading. “I remember growing up seeing her work tirelessly to expand her small venture into big dreams but this was challenging and almost impossible because she was not fortunate to have the tangible assets such as collateral for the loan needed to sustain her meager entrepreneurial venture.” At that young and tender age, I thought about the concept of small loans without collateral for micro entrepreneurs but did not have the means or ability. But as I grew older , I became wiser and gain more wisdom, I learned about microfinance and since then I nurtured it and took up my mother’s energy and legacy, and my father’s spirits and prophecy that women are just as good as men if given the opportunity and access to funds.”

New finance company launched with ‘celebration of joy, pride, and victory’ PDF Print E-mail User Rating: / 0 PoorBest Written by Yankuba Thursday, 20 January 2011 15:01 By Lamin Jahateh, Banjul Gambia Women’s Finance Association has launched its owned finance institution – GAWFA Finance Company - with a celebration of joy and pride, a victory in taking ownership to become better citizens and contribute to women economic empowerment. Pic: CEO of GAWFA, Mrs. Oley Njie Mbye Launching of GAWFA Finance Company is a clear testimony that GAWFA is on the verge of achieving it vision to build a sustainable financial institution that meets the aspiration of women in the vanguard of an evolving financial system, and regain market leadership by 2020 with a share of at least 50% of the market represented by low Gambia women. “This is a timely and a very important move by GAWFA towards the economic and social empowerment of women and the development of the country at large,” said Mrs Aja Ida Faye Hydara, Executive Director of Women’s Bureau while launching the GAWFA Finance Company on behalf of the Vice President and Minister of Women’s Affairs on Wednesday at the GAWFA head quarters in Kanifing. She continued: “Launching GAWFA Finance Company today is a welcome move as the company is here to contribute to the empowerment of Gambian women.” She however noted that though GAWFA has contributed and continues to contribute to the development of a lot of women in this country and women themselves are very hard working, “there is still a long way to go”. The Chief Executive Officer of GAWFA, Mrs. Oley Njie Mbye said: “At GAWFA we promote self sufficiency, empowerment and capacity building which are integral not only for economic empowerment but also to human services and development in general. Having the resources for strategies alone is not enough but effective outcomes and sustainability are also fundamental for the advancement of women.” The launching of GAWFA Finance Company is seen by many as a step in the right direction as it will provide banking services to that segment of the society who are hitherto left out by the commercial banks thus unable to access loan. Majority of these unbanked population are women many of whom are poor. Gambian women are faced with the challenge of what is consider as the “poverty trap”; the poor women are willing to escape poverty but are limited to do so by using the meager resources own. The challenges of obtaining loans from financial institutions can be attributed to many factors of the “poverty trap”as it can cause a vicious cycle of poverty, the poor women continues to get weaker and confined into extreme poverty if not economically empowered. “It is therefore a moral obligation as global citizens not to lean back and ask what our governments are doing or can do; we need to get up and stand firm on our feet, roll our sleeves up and do our own part. We have our own part to play and ask ourselves what we can do for our country and the world in general to contribute directly or indirectly in many ways to socio economic development,” the GAWFA CEO, who has been a bank executive with over 16 years of diverse leadership experience, said. She continued: “Women are the most impoverished and underprivileged in the world. But we save bigger long term goals and are more committed to make positive changes in our lives progressively; we have effective leadership skills in managing scarce resources and can start something small and grow it big for better economic conditions. Lack of economic empowerment causes low level of capabilities which is depicted as the basic failure of basic capabilities to reach basic necessities of life hence a form of social exclusion.” CEO Njie-Mbye noted that women are generally expected to take secondary, passive role in obtaining credit, but major role in the household. “We are usually considered less suitable than men for higher responsibility on loan acquisition. It is paramount we solidify our own institution through microfinance, and have the ability to influence, or make decisions that affect our lives and be independent.” The launching of GAWFA also witnessed the presentation of an award by the staffs of GAWFA to their CEO, Mrs Njie Mbye, for being a wonderful and a competent leader who always lead by example. According to Hannah Davies, the chairperson of the GAWFA board, GAWFA is the laeding and the first microfinance institution established since 1987 in the Gambia with over 48,948 members and over 13,682 active borrowers and still growing. “We also have several branch offices spread in the rural areas in The Gambia.” Mrs Aja Adulette Sey, one of the members of GAWF explained that GAWFA is here to uplift the status of women in order to eradicate poverty, as women are at the bottom of the poverty pyramid. GAWFA delivers a breadth of financial services to its clients including capacity building through its partners and interrelated organizations.

By Lamin Jahateh, Banjul Gambia Women’s Finance Association has launched its owned finance institution – GAWFA Finance Company - with a celebration of joy and pride, a victory in taking ownership to become better citizens and contribute to women economic empowerment.  Pic: CEO of GAWFA, Mrs. Oley Njie Mbye Launching of GAWFA Finance Company is a clear testimony that GAWFA is on the verge of achieving it vision to build a sustainable financial institution that meets the aspiration of women in the vanguard of an evolving financial system, and regain market leadership by 2020 with a share of at least 50% of the market represented by low Gambia women. “This is a timely and a very important move by GAWFA towards the economic and social empowerment of women and the development of the country at large,” said Mrs Aja Ida Faye Hydara, Executive Director of Women’s Bureau while launching the GAWFA Finance Company on behalf of the Vice President and Minister of Women’s Affairs on Wednesday at the GAWFA head quarters in Kanifing. She continued: “Launching GAWFA Finance Company today is a welcome move as the company is here to contribute to the empowerment of Gambian women.”  She however noted that though GAWFA has contributed and continues to contribute to the development of a lot of women in this country and women themselves are very hard working, “there is still a long way to go”. The Chief Executive Officer of GAWFA, Mrs. Oley Njie Mbye said: “At GAWFA we promote self sufficiency, empowerment and capacity building which are integral not only for economic empowerment but also to human services and development in general. Having the resources for strategies alone is not enough but effective outcomes and sustainability are also fundamental for the advancement of women.” The launching of GAWFA Finance Company is seen by many as a step in the right direction as it will provide banking services to that segment of the society who are hitherto left out by the commercial banks thus unable to access loan.  Majority of these unbanked population are women many of whom are poor. Gambian women are faced with the challenge of what is consider as the “poverty trap”; the poor women are willing to escape poverty but are limited to do so by using the meager resources own. The challenges of obtaining loans from financial institutions can be attributed to many factors of the “poverty trap”as it can cause a vicious cycle of poverty, the poor women continues to get weaker and confined into extreme poverty if not economically empowered. “It is therefore a moral obligation as global citizens not to lean back and ask what our governments are doing or can do; we need to get up and stand firm on our feet, roll our sleeves up and do our own part. We have our own part to play and ask ourselves what we can do for our country and the world in general to contribute directly or indirectly in many ways to socio economic development,” the GAWFA CEO, who has been a bank executive with over 16 years of diverse leadership experience, said. She continued:  “Women are the most impoverished and underprivileged in the world. But we save bigger long term goals and are more committed to make positive changes in our lives progressively; we have effective leadership skills in managing scarce resources and can start something small and grow it big for better economic conditions. Lack of economic empowerment causes low level of capabilities which is depicted as the basic failure of basic capabilities to reach basic necessities of life hence a form of social exclusion.” CEO Njie-Mbye noted that women are generally expected to take secondary, passive role in obtaining credit, but major role in the household. “We are usually considered less suitable than men for higher responsibility on loan acquisition. It is paramount we solidify our own institution through microfinance, and have the ability to influence, or make decisions that affect our lives and be independent.” The launching of GAWFA also witnessed the presentation of an award by the staffs of GAWFA to their CEO, Mrs Njie Mbye, for being a wonderful and a competent leader who always lead by example. According to Hannah Davies, the chairperson of the GAWFA board, GAWFA is the laeding and the first microfinance institution established since 1987 in the Gambia with over 48,948 members and over 13,682 active borrowers and still growing.  “We also have several branch offices spread in the rural areas in The Gambia.” Mrs Aja Adulette Sey, one of the members of GAWF explained that GAWFA is here to uplift the status of women in order to eradicate poverty, as women are at the bottom of the poverty pyramid. GAWFA delivers a breadth of financial services to its clients including capacity building through its partners and interrelated organizations.