Access to Finance Rwanda (AFR) was a Rwandan not-for-profit organization established in March 2010 by the governments of the United Kingdom (UK) and Rwanda. With support from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO), AFR’s strategic focus stimulated financial sector development by partnering with financial institutions and other stakeholders to increase access to, and use of, financial services.

MSA conducted a gendered social norms diagnostic in Rwanda to provide country level insights into social norms impacting women entrepreneurs’ access, usage, and benefits from financial services. These findings leveraged to influence the financial market system to better meet women entrepreneurs’ financial service needs, led to better development outcomes and influenced stakeholders and decision makers to promote their financial inclusion.