Copedu Plc, on March 13, announced its official membership in Women in Finance Rwanda, confirming its commitment to promoting gender equality and inclusivity within the financial sector.

Women in Finance Rwanda is a platform that advocates for gender balance in Rwanda’s financial landscape.

As Copedu Plc joins the organisation, the microfinance institution aims to catalyse an inclusive environment that allows for women’s advancement within the financial sector.

Speaking during a signing ceremony that took place at Park Inn Hotel, Raissa Muyango, the Managing Director of Copedu Plc, highlighted their vision of emerging as the leading Pan-African women’s bank, which aligns with the partnership.

"This partnership with Women in Finance Rwanda underscores Copedu Plc’s commitment to empowering women through innovative financial services,” she added. "We aim to enhance skills through various partnerships, thereby developing and preparing the next generation of women leaders.”

Raissa Muyango further outlined Copedu Plc’s achievements in gender diversity, noting that 63 per cent of their staff are women, with significant female representation of 71 per cent in shareholding and 66 per cent in board positions. Additionally, among the microfinance institution’s 11 branches, nine are led by women.

She thanked Women in Finance Rwanda and Chartered Institute for Securities and Investment (CISI), a global professional body for securities and investment practitioners, for their contributions to positive impact on Rwanda’s financial sector.

Lina Higiro, the founding Chairperson of Women in Finance Rwanda, highlighted the partnership’s role in building capacity for women in the financial sector and advancing Rwanda’s overall development agenda.

"We are delighted to welcome Copedu Plc as a member of Women in Finance Rwanda, further strengthening our commitment to promoting gender equality within the financial sector,” she said.

"Investing in women holds the key to enhancing not only family well-being, but also contributing significantly to society development and national progress. We anticipate positive outcomes that will improve service delivery across various sectors.”

Higiro commended the progress made in attracting women to Rwanda’s financial sector, noting an increase to 43 per cent of the total workforce. However, she highlighted imbalances, with 46 per cent of the women in entry-level positions compared to only 28 per cent in managerial roles out of nearly 27,000 employees.

She called for equal opportunities and support for women, stressing the importance of diversity for innovation and profitability, cautioning against complacency despite reaching a 50-50 gender split in some areas.

During the event, four female employees of Copedu Plc were awarded scholarships to further their professional development in partnership with CISI.

Among the scholarship recipients was Clementine Tuyisenge, who thanked Copedu Plc, Women in Finance Rwanda, and CISI for the opportunity.

She said the programme will help her and fellow recipients to develop skills and knowledge relevant to the finance and technology sectors, emphasising its contribution to personal and professional growth.

"We are so honoured to have this opportunity to acquire fundamental skills and knowledge required in today's and future workplaces, particularly in the finance industry and technology sphere,” she said.

Tuyisenge added that the scholarships will help them to integrate economic knowledge into business strategies for Rwanda’s economic development.

Copedu Plc is a microfinance institution that has been in operation for 26 years, offering financial services such as savings and lending to a diverse clientele. It has a special emphasis on providing loans to women.