J-PAL partner since 2006, Al Amana is a Moroccan micro credit association which seeks to achieve development through microfinance and micro-enterprise promotion. Created in 1997, Al Amana today serves more than 400,000 clients all over country and is among the twenty largest microfinance institutions in the world. J-PAL and Al Amana are running an impact evaluation study of microcredit in rural Morocco. Learn more (link)

Breaking down the preconceived idea that the poor are not capable of honoring their debts, Al Amana has created a successful financing system to serve Moroccans who are excluded from conventional financial services. Over the past decade, Al Amana has expanded its operations to become the largest microfinance institution in the country, with 433 branches spread throughout 12 regions, 2000 employees and 250 million dollars in assets. They serve almost equal number of men and women, and rural and urban populations.

Al Amana and J-PAL partnered to run an impact evaluation of a microcredit program This study will address many of the unanswered questions in microfinance, such as what is the impact of microcredit on agricultural and nonagricultural activities, on family income and consumption, on poverty and on household security. Al Amana opened 60 new branches since 2006 reaching 80 rural districts, each district including between 10 and 40 villages. Villages were randomly assigned either to receive Al Amana’s services during the first two years or to receive services later in the expansion process.

Read further about J-PAL’s impact evaluation of Al Amana’s micro-credit program at: Impact Evaluation of a Micro-credit Program in Rural Areas of Morocco

Learn more about Al Amana at www.alamana.org