{"id":67446,"date":"2026-07-14T06:08:45","date_gmt":"2026-07-14T10:08:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/finca.org\/finca-and-jackfruit-finance-scale-education-financing-model-in-tanzania-and-uganda"},"modified":"2026-07-15T09:38:38","modified_gmt":"2026-07-15T13:38:38","slug":"finca-and-jackfruit-finance-scale-education-financing-model-in-tanzania-and-uganda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/finca.org\/en-gb\/finca-and-jackfruit-finance-scale-education-financing-model-in-tanzania-and-uganda","title":{"rendered":"FINCA\u00a0and Jackfruit Finance\u00a0Scale\u00a0Education\u00a0Financing Model\u00a0in\u00a0Tanzania and\u00a0Uganda"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

A successful pilot demonstrated strong demand for tailored school financing, showing how fit-for-purpose financial products can help underserved schools upgrade facilities, retain staff, and create measurable benefits for thousands of students<\/strong><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

NAIROBI, KENYA (July\u00a014, 2026) \u2014<\/strong>\u00a0FINCA and Jackfruit Finance<\/a> are expanding their education finance collaboration across East Africa following a successful pilot in Uganda that\u00a0validated\u00a0demand for tailored financing among underserved schools. The partnership has now launched in Tanzania while entering its next phase in Uganda under a commercial framework designed to\u00a0prove\u00a0the long-term sustainability of the operating model before broader expansion.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The collaboration builds on the successful initial pilot in Uganda, through which 42 schools, collectively serving approximately 10,000 children, accessed 184.5 million Ugandan shillings ($49,700 USD) in financing to strengthen operations, retain teachers, and improve school facilities. The pilot demonstrated strong demand for specialized education finance among schools with limited access to formal credit. To date, approximately 91% of the disbursed principal has been repaid. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The partnership was developed through FINCA’s Poverty Eradication Lab, which works with specialized partners to design and test financial solutions that address needs beyond traditional microcredit. By combining FINCA’s expertise in product development and human-centered design, lending infrastructure, and local regulatory presence with Jackfruit’s deep relationships in the education sector, the collaboration created a unique financing model tailored to the realities of low-fee private schools. Schools begin with working capital loans to support operations and teacher retention, with the opportunity to graduate to larger infrastructure loans that help expand classrooms, improve facilities, and increase student capacity. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAccess to capital remains one of the greatest obstacles for schools serving low-income populations across Africa,\u201d said Jackfruit Finance CEO Robert Alhadeff. \u201cBy pairing Jackfruit\u2019s education financing platform with FINCA\u2019s reach and product innovation, we\u2019re creating a model that gives schools the stability and resources they need to grow and deliver stronger learning outcomes.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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