Lenders target NGOs with tailor-made products in wake of new law

 

Lenders are now turning to new growth areas with products tailored for specific sectors.

These include forward contracts, pension and gratuity schemes, investment in Treasury bonds and bills and donation and receivable management services targeting non-governmental organisations (NGOs).

Lenders say forward contracts can safeguard NGOs from foreign currency fluctuations in the global market.

Participants at a multi-sectoral forum organised by the Co-operative Bank and the Public Benefit Organisations Regulatory Authority (PBORA) in Nairobi yesterday heard that forward contracts allow NGOs, the majority of which receive funding from overseas, to negotiate a fixed exchange rate within a specified period, cushioning them against the volatility in the shilling against global currencies. A forward contract is a customised agreement between two parties to buy or sell an asset at a specified price on a future date.

Co-op Bank chief executive Gideon Muriuki noted the incredible role NGOs play in the economy.

He said for these organisations to provide the needed innovative solutions, collaboration is key.

“At Co-operative Bank of Kenya, we recognise that banks have a big responsibility that extends beyond profit. We have the ability and the duty to be catalysts for positive change,” said Mr Muriuki in a speech read on his behalf by the lender’s director in charge of corporate and institutional banking Lydia Rono.

He said the role of banks goes beyond providing financial resources.

“It involves understanding the unique needs of NGOs and public benefits initiatives and offering tailored solutions that empower you to achieve your mission,” he said.

He added: “Understanding your specific needs allows us to develop customised banking solutions that will meet those needs effectively.”

The meeting under the theme collaborative approach to transforming our communities, comes months after the coming into effect of the Public Benefits Act after stalling for a decade.