Equalized by the National Assembly in 2019, the Government of Senegal, in partnership with the Islamic Development Bank (IDB), set up the National Program for the Development of Islamic Microfinance in Senegal (PROMISE) to diversify sources funding for youth and women's projects targeting growth sectors of the Emerging Senegal Plan (PSE), especially in rural areas.

With a total cost of 47 billion CFA francs, spread over five (5) years renewable, the PROMISE has set itself the general objective of improving the income of beneficiaries, through the strengthening of sustainable access for the majority of the population to adapted Islamic financial services throughout the national territory, by 2025.

To achieve its objectives, the structure intends to work closely with the media. Hence the awareness workshop on Islamic microfinance, organized yesterday, Wednesday, November 4, in Dakar, for journalists.

During this training and sensitization session for media men, the National Coordinator of the program, Yaye Fatou Diagne, suggested that the achievement of these specific objectives will make it possible to permanently install Islamic microfinance in Senegal and reduce the rate of financial exclusion of beneficiaries as well as the financing of projects in the priority sectors of the PSE.

According to her, "this new financing tool aims to improve the income of beneficiaries by strengthening access for the majority of the population to adapted Islamic financial services, and this, throughout the territory".

It will also involve, she continues, "decentralized structures such as decentralized financial services, the Microfinance Fund, the Professional Association of Decentralized Financial Services, and support structures such as the Microfinance Department , the BCEAO, etc.”

For the implementation of the component devoted to capacity building of intermediate and final beneficiaries, Yaye Fatou Diagne said: "We have launched a major awareness and communication campaign, the success of which depends largely on the relays that you are, eminent actors of the press, at different levels.

Considering the media as essential relays to reach the populations in the most remote corners of the country, Ms. Diagne will make it known: "we considered it necessary and useful that the journalists, that you are, must be sensitized, trained and accompanied in the treatment information in the field of Islamic finance, in general, and Islamic microfinance, in particular”.