Enda Tamweel

The story begins in 1990 when Essma Ben Hamida and Michael Philip Cracknell founded Enda inter-arabe, an international non-profit NGO in Tunis. Initially, the organization focused on environmental projects. The playbook shifted in 1995 when Enda inter-arabe introduced microcredit to Tunisia, focusing on the economic and social inclusion of women and youth from disadvantaged backgrounds. The goal was to empower vulnerable populations excluded from the traditional financial system. A pivotal moment came in 2015. To comply with a 2011 law regulating microfinance, the NGO spun off its financial services into a public limited company: Enda Tamweel. This new entity was created to specialize in providing financial products and services, continuing the mission of its parent NGO, which remains the primary shareholder. This strategic separation allowed Enda Tamweel to focus purely on scaling its microfinance operations across Tunisia. Enda Tamweel's growth was significantly bolstered by international capital. The company successfully completed a major funding round, raising 72 million dinars from a consortium of six international investors, including BIO from Belgium and Proparco from France. This infusion of capital was crucial for mobilizing more debt, expanding its loan portfolio to micro-entrepreneurs, and reinforcing its market position. Today, Enda Tamweel operates a network of over 96 branches, serving hundreds of thousands of clients and cementing its role as a key player in Tunisia's economic landscape.